The July 15 Board of Selectmen’s meeting began with palpable discord between Selectman Peter Warren and the Harvard Ambulance Squad, inspired an impassioned speech by Selectman Tim Clark concerning the direction of Devens, and ended with a positive sense that the strained relationship between Harvard and Devens residents might be on the mend. See related story, “Board of Selectmen turns attention to Devens.”
Board challenges ambulance squad appointments
The Harvard Ambulance Squad turned out in force for a discussion that Warren began by stating that, contrary to rumor, he was not seeking to dissolve the volunteer ambulance service.
He was, however, questioning many of the reappointments requested by Director Tom Philippou. Warren asked why members who did fewer than 12 runs a year should be reappointed. Philippou questioned why he was being second-guessed. A lengthy discussion of the nature of the all volunteer ambulance service helped diffuse most of the tension, but not all. At one point, when Warren suggested that assigning “leave of absence status” without a written policy suggests the possibility of discrimination, Philippou asked the rest of the Board for a new liaison to the squad.
Philippou, prior ambulance squad director David Durrant, and Selectman Tim Clark, who once served on a volunteer ambulance squad, explained that the number of runs were an inadequate criterion. Many squad members are students who serve when they come home on weekends and for vacation. Work commitments make some members less available than others. Because members represent little to no cost to the town, Philippou wondered why his recommended list for reappointment was being cut to less than half.
Durrant described one Harvard EMT who seldom made runs, but was invaluable for the free CPR classes he gave to any and all who asked. Clark spoke to the spirit of a volunteer squad in which every member is valued, whether a paramedic or an expert at organization who does not make runs.
The board agreed to reappoint all squad members for 60 days. Philippou, Warren, and Town Administrator Tim Bragan, along with an undesignated squad member, will meet to draw up written policies about leaves of absence.
When Warren proposed billing insurance companies, Medicare and Medex for ambulance runs, Durrant asked if the board would honor a prior board’s promise to bring any ambulance billing proposals to a Town Meeting. Bragan pointed out that a current board is not bound by an agreement of a prior board.
According to former director David Durrant, billing has been a sensitive subject for the squad, which feels that its volunteer efforts are driven by a desire to give to the community and should not be a source of revenue for the town.
“It would tear the heart out of the squad,” he said.
The ambulance billing proposal was put aside for further information after Bruce Leicher brought up potential legal conflicts.
Board approves replacement car for police chief
The board approved Police Chief Edward Denmark’s request to replace his Crown Victoria with a Ford Taurus, for $6,000 less than the town had allocated in June for a hybrid Ford Escape. Because the Escape would not be available until March, Denmark thought the estimated up-front capital savings would offset the additional efficiency advantages of the Escape. Denmark gave the expected the Taurus efficiency at 22 to 24 miles per gallon, comparing it to 13 mpg from his current vehicle and an estimated 32 mpg for the Ford hybrid.
Note: This From the Boards article did not appear in print. It was posted to the Press website during the Press‘s summer hiatus.
