05/26/1982 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e e e .. the CETA program. Mr. Booth summarized by stating that the Eugene CETA program had the highest entered employment rate and the lowest costs per placement on all programs, when compared with the other 20 prime sponsors in Region X. Councilor Smith asked about the future of the Eugene Prime Sponsor Program. Mr. McIver said that EPIC had been lobbying members of Congress to maintain the Eugene program and that the situation appeared hopeful, particularly in light of the excellent performance record of the Eugene program. Councilor Schue said she was pleased with the progress of the Eugene program and felt it was a good contributor to the future of business activity in Eugene. XI. EUGENE-SPRINGFIELD AMBULANCE SERVICE--ONE-YEAR STATUS REPORT (memo, full report distributed) Mr. Whitlow noted that at the time that the City had taken over ambulance service operations, the council had requested a report back at the end of the first year of operations. He said that, in making the decision to have the City assume responsibility for ambulance service, the council had directed staff to stabilize service and to develop a program that would not use General Fund moneys. Mr. Whitlow noted that the average response time for the Eugene- Springfield service was under four minutes. He said that medical services provided were excellent and that the program had developed an effective working relationship with the medical community and with Emergency Room physicians. He said that work was now needed on the financial stability of the operation. Mr. Whitlow said that the collection rate and average billing had been lower than estimates made at the start of the program. He said that, as a result, the program had experienced an operational loss of $40,000. He noted that actual billings exceeded expenditures, but that low collection rates were the cause of the loss. Mr. Whitlow noted that staff had proved a range of options for council consideration of the future of the program: 1) maintain the current level of service, but adjust rates to make it self-supporting; 2) reduce the level of service and adjust rates to make the program self-supporting; 3) reduce the level of service without changing rates; 4) provide general fund subsidy for the program; and 5) return the service to the private sector. Mr. Whitlow said that staff recommended that the council approve alternative 1, with rates increased to raise the average billing from the current $195 to $255. Mr. Whitlow noted that, even with this increase, the average bill would still be lower than the $269 experienced by Medical Services, Incorporated, at the time that it ceased operations. Mr. Whitlow also recommended that an interfund arrangement for costs of purchasing capital equipment for the program be rolled into Fiscal Year 1982-83. Mr. Whitlow reported that on May 24, 1982, the Springfield City Council had asked its staff to prepare documents to raise the average billing to $255, pending the action of the Eugene City Council. Mr. Whitlow emphasized that a key element in the success of the service was the joint Eugene-Springfield participation. Councilor Smith suggested that the council request information, similar to that requested by the Springfield Council, on the rate increase request proposals. She said that the council had felt all along that the service should be self-supporting. MINUTES--Eugene City Council May 26, 1982 Page 12