Mironov no fan of EMS merger plan at this point

By: Vic Monaco
   A suggestion to consider merging East Windsor’s and Hightstown’s contracts for emergency medical services, aimed at saving money, won’t likely come to fruition, given comments made this week by East Windsor Mayor Janice Mironov.
   "East Windsor does not negotiate township business through the newspapers," the mayor wrote in the first sentence of an e-mail to the Herald this week. "The Hightstown First Aid Squad should be talking with their own Hightstown officials directly regarding these matters."
   The mayor indicated last week that she needed more time to respond to a Sept. 8 letter sent to her and other area leaders from the captain of the Hightstown First Aid Squad, Erini Papafilipakis. That letter suggested that the two communities might be able to cut costs by having the borough offset some of the township’s payments to Monmouth Ocean Hospital Services (MONOC) based on the number of calls each community gets.
   This Wednesday, Mayor Mironov pointed out that the township has a five-year contract with MONOC and indicated the borough wasn’t interested in working with the township on a contract with the company last year.
   In 2005, she wrote, the township, nearing the end of a contract with Capital Health Systems, did much work before seeking bids for daytime EMS coverage and ultimately hiring MONOC.
   "At that time," she wrote, "Hightstown expressed no interest in our efforts, assumably (sic) believing that they had a set up with St. Francis Medical Center."
   The borough’s agreement with St. Francis, for virtually free coverage, ended when St. Francis notified the borough late last year that it would have to begin charging. That led to the borough’s hiring of MONOC for a one-year period at a cost of $139,000 for 24-hour service.
   Mayor Mironov concluded her response by saying that the township isn’t likely going to change its longer-term deal with MONOC.
   "East Windsor has an excellent arrangement with MONOC whereby we receive quality and timely service with all the necessary equipment available and at a very cost effective rate ($39,000 a year)," she wrote, "and the township does not anticipate making any changes at this time."
   Ms. Filipakis expressed disappointment with Mayor Mironov’s response.
   "The Hightstown First Aid Squad has spoken with borough officials and have been very participatory in finding ways to improve emergency services in our town," she said. "It is unfortunate that Mayor Mironov will not speak with our officials to find ways in which both towns can offer a more cost-effective service for both towns. "
   Hightstown Mayor Bob Patten, who last week said the proposal is "certainly worth pursuing," said this week that he plans to talk to Mayor Mironov about the subject, despite her response.
   "I’m still going to discuss it with her, so as not to talk through the newspaper," he said.
   Mayor Patten also confirmed that East Windsor had reached out to Hightstown last year when the borough thought it was in good shape with its arrangement with St. Francis.
   Jeff Behm, MONOC’s vice president of operations, last week said the towns are free to do what they want but he stressed that two ambulance units are needed to cover the two communities during peak periods of the day.
   The mayors and representatives from the towns’ two councils are expected to hold a third meeting on the possible consolidation of borough police services in the first week of October.