Conn. Town Signs Formal Contract with VEMS
Aug. 06–SEYMOUR — The Board of Selectmen Tuesday unanimously approved formalizing a contract with the regional paramedic service it has used for many years.
Seymour, along with its Valley neighbors Ansonia, Derby, Oxford and Shelton, has utilized Valley Emergency Medical Services (VEMS) through an agreement, not a contract, under the Valley Council of Governments back in 2005. There has never been a written, or formal contract in place for VEMS’ services.
That’s until now, with Seymour being VEMS’ first municipality it serves to ink the deal.
VEMS Executive Director Robert Pettinella said recent legislation now requires municipalities to have an EMS plan and written contract with their EMS provider. Pettinella said he’s been trying for years to have each of the Valley towns get onboard with a contract.
“We want to be in compliance with the law and feel a simple, yet written agreement protects all parties involved,” Pettinella had said. “We want to tighten up everything we have going with all the Valley communities.”
First Selectman Kurt Miller said signing the contract makes everything formal, and the services VEMS has provided the town will not change. Miller said he, along with Corporation Counsel Richard Buturla, VEMS Board of Director President and Seymour Ambulance Executive Director Scott Andrews and Pettinella recently sat down to iron out the details of the pact.
“Everything stays as is, we just formalized everything,” Miller said.
Buturla said the contract is relatively simple and says, “we’re happy with (VEMS) services and it’s an improvement for both their agency and the town.”
Under the approved terms, the contract will be for three years, and includes an “automatic annual increase not to exceed” 3 percent. The contract can be terminated if VEMS ceases to provide paramedic service. Seymour also is responsible for paying VEMS an annual sum of $32,000 for its paramedic services, which the town has done for years.
Each of the Valley towns served by VEMS contributes the same annual amount. Derby, however, has not paid VEMS since 2005 under the previous Staffieri administration, even though VEMS has never stopped providing service to Derby. The matter is currently tied up in court, with VEMS suing Derby for failing to pay up.
VEMS, with its headquarters based in Seymour at 764 Derby Ave., formed in 1983 and is a nonprofit emergency medical provider. Its paid paramedics work alongside the volunteer ambulance companies in the Valley towns, as well as Monroe, coordinating and providing mutual medical aid in emergencies.
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