Commissioners approve EMS agreement Palacios seeks 2 ambulances

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Commissioners approve EMS agreementPalacios seeks 2 ambulances

The Matagorda Advocate

By: RANDY REESE

The Matagorda Commissioners Court was able voted on the final interlocal

agreement to provide emergency medical service for the county in 2001.

Both the city of Bay City and the Matagorda County Hospital District had

already submitted their agreements to the court and had them approved.

All that was left was receiving the agreement from Palacios and that

finally occurred Monday when the board approved it unanimously.

The delay, according to Palacios city administrator Winfield,

came about because of the city's concern over ambulance coverage in that area of

the county.

``We want the EMS to commit to placing two ambulances down here at all

times,'' Winfield said. ``We finally came to the conclusion that that was not

going to happen.

``We finally came to the conclusion that the county would continue to

look after our best interest on this and we just have to trust that they are

correct in this situation.'' Winfield added.

County Judge Greg Westmoreland had told Winfield at the last meeting

that the court had studied the situation closely and had been told by the new

provider that one ambulance is sufficient.

Westmoreland told Winfield that the contract with the new provider

states that the EMS will adhere to a 10-minute response time in both Bay City

and Palacios at all times.

``If the provider is not able to meet this criterion then we have

provisions in the contract to force them to comply with more ambulances in the

two cities,'' Westmoreland added.

Winfield said the Palacios City Council had ``cussed and discussed''

the agreement for many hours and decided to give the EMS a chance to prove it

can do what it says it can.

Bay City Mayor ez said he and his council decided to also

trust the county in the agreement.

``We have always been able to trust the county court to do whatever is

best for all of us,'' ez said. ``That is what we have done in the past and

will continue to do.''

Eastex will take over as the new provider for emergency services on

Jan. 1.

In other action, the court approved a resolution proclaiming the month

of November as Aging Awareness Month.

The resolution was presented to Friends of Elder Citizens, Inc.

The resolution read in part, `` aging is not a disease but rather a

normal, dynamic process and a sedentary lifestyle puts one at risk for reduced

functional capacity and that there are negative stereotypes associated with old

age in our society.

``It is possible to dissipate these ideas by promoting positive and

active images of aging. Local communities are the key resource to nurture a

health-promoting environment.''

Originally published on: November 02, 2000 on page 8E.

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