Woolwich’s EMS director Brian Carlton asked the select board Monday for permission to use reserve monies to cover costs toward ambulance coverage.

Carlton wants to draw up to $10,000 from the department’s reserve service billing account. This includes monies collected from MaineCare and MediCare.

“I need these funds to help cover a few of the June bills but mostly to purchase some of what we need to equip the second emergency vehicle,” he said. The EMS budget is currently overdrafted by $156.

“We had a stretcher donated to us from the Boothbay EMS but we still need to purchase other items, including a stair chair which will give our first responders the ability to carry a patient down a flight of stairs.”  Carlton told the board the outstanding bills were for the department’s cell phone, fuel and oxygen.

“I’d prefer not to draw from the ambulance department’s $1,800 donation account,” he added.

“We need to know first, just where the money your asking for is, and if we have the authority to allow its use,” Chairman David King Sr. responded.

“I want to have our town administrator get in touch with our auditor,” King continued. “If these monies were lapsed into the undesignated fund balance, his request will have to be approved by the townspeople.”

Selectman Jason Shaw asked Carlton to give the board a list of the items he wants to buy. Shaw also wanted to see a roster showing how Carlton planned to provide next month’s 24/7 ambulance coverage. Woolwich EMS becomes the town's ambulance provider July 1.

Carlton said he’d provide the itemized equipment list and staffing schedule this week. “Our paramedics are already scheduled for July.  All of the shifts will be filled,” he added.

“I have complete faith that you and your people can provide the town with ambulance coverage,” commented King. “My only concern is paying for it.”

Carlton noted, to date there’d been 238 EMS calls for fiscal year 2018-2019; Woolwich’s part-time ambulance department responded to 220 of them. This resulted in overspending its payroll line by $4,759; the department had taken in $18,353 in revenue this year, he said.

As the meeting was drawing to a close, Carlton received a call for ambulance assistance.

In other business, the board renewed the town’s auditing contract with William H. Brewer & Co. of Bath, and awarded Cory Wallace of Bath the mowing contract.

Selectman Allison Helper noted the town annual alewives harvest ended this past weekend. Selectmen Shaw and Dale Chadbourne attended a Maine Department of Transportation meeting on future Route 1 construction including replacement of a culvert off George Wright Road.

The June 18 select board meeting will be held in the 1837 Town House on the corner of Old Stage and Dana Mills roads. The tradition of holding a meeting here each spring began in 1996.