C'ville board OK's ambulance contract [Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)]

As expected, the Collierville Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved a city ambulance contract with Rural/Metro Corp. and rejected the bids for expanding the animal shelter.

The five-year ambulance contract with an optional one-year renewal is about $33,000 less per year than the amount Collierville is paying under the county's intergovernmental plan for ambulance service.

Both Germantown and Collierville opted out of the county's ambulance plan this year. Germantown is joining Memphis and Bartlett in operating its ambulance service out of its fire departments.

The Rural/Metro contract, which goes into effect July 1, is for a prorated annual fee of $422,400, compared to this year's prorated annual fee of almost $456,000.

It calls for two ambulances at all times, three more ambulances as needed, and a nine-minute response time at least 90 percent of the time.

Collierville Fire Chief Jerry Crawford said the two ambulances "will be in the same place they are right now in Fire Houses 3 and 5."

Without discussion, the board also rejected the bids for expanding the Collierville Animal Shelter. Bids came in almost a half-million dollars over budget.

While Monday night was a second reading and public hearing for the town's 2014 budget and property tax rate of $1.53 per $100 of assessed value, no residents showed up to ask questions.

During a work session before Monday night's meeting, elected officials heard that plans for Hinton Park will be revised slightly as a cost-saving measure. No official action was taken.

Landscape architect Dean Thomas with Dalhoff Thomas design/ studio suggested moving the pond's location to the lowest part of the property to take advantage of the natural drainage and save construction costs. Instead of a 2.6-acre pond, he is suggesting a 4- acre pond that will be 10 to 12 feet deep.

In addition, Parks Director Chip Petersen said a portion of the undeveloped park land will likely be leased to a soybean farmer for a savings of between $20,000 to $25,000.

Town Administrator James Lewellen told the board he is concerned that an elevated boardwalk that connects an adjoining neighborhood to the park won't be a scenic walk. "It is swampy and overgrown with ugly scrub. It will be like walking through a thicket to get to a park," Lewellen said.

He said the board should consider allowing a small pond to be built in the wetlands to enhance the area.

Town officials are projecting they will seek bids for the project in November.

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