City Council postpones decision on ambulances

Erin Neff

Wednesday, Dec. 15, 1999 | 11:10 a.m.

The debate over who should provide ambulance service in the Las Vegas Valley hit a snag this morning as the Las Vegas City Council decided to postpone a decision on whether to grant Southwest Ambulance a franchise.

The city fire department's own role in providing such service, coupled with a lawsuit filed Monday by American Medical Response -- the existing ambulance provider -- gave the council enough reason to hold off on a vote.

City attorneys recommended the delay after AMR filed suit against Clark County. The county commissioners decided Dec. 7 to allow Southwest to negotiate with the county for an ambulance franchise.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman motioned to delay the item until after the council receives a copy of an internal report about the fire department's role in ambulance service. That report is expected in January.

"I want staff to bring it back to us after the blue ribbon report is finished," Goodman said before today's meeting.

Billy Vassiliadis, a lobbyist representing Southwest, said the council's decision was "understandable but disappointing."

John Wilson and Sharon Henry, Southewest's executive partners, said they wanted to be involved in the discussions with the city's fire department.

The fire department began providing ambulance service in January -- after the council granted it the right to compete with AMR. The city currently handles 10 percent of medical emergency calls.

Fire Chief Mario Trevino said there is a possibility the report will show a need to increase the percentage of calls his department handles.

AMR's lawsuit alleges the county failed to demonstrate a need for a second ambulance provider.

"I would like to wait for that to play out," Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald said before this morning's meeting.

She also expressed concerns about the fire department's report.

"I would like to see that before I decide," Boggs McDonald said.

Mike Williams, AMR's chief executive officer, said he was prepared this morning to make a full presentation to the council and denied that his company's lawsuit was designed as a stall tactic.

Williams said he would not comment until after the council meeting today.

The North Las Vegas City Council is expected to consider Southwest's franchise agreement tonight. City attorneys in North Las Vegas have also expressed interest in delaying the vote.

Vassiliadis said he though the Las Vegas City Council's decision would be repeated tonight in North Las Vegas.

"We didn't even get a chance to get into the debate about public necessity," Vassiliadis said.