Scott Ezell, of Irrigon, on Dec. 20, 2023, discusses the county’s ambulance service plan at a Morrow County Board of Commissioners meeting. Ambulance service is a major issue in the May 21, 2024, primary election for Position 1 on the board of commissioners. Four candidates are vying for the seat.

MORROW COUNTY — After two joint meetings between the Morrow County Health District and the Morrow County Board of Commissioners, the entities agreed to pause their negotiations and meetings for now.

During the second joint meeting, on Tuesday, Feb. 13, the groups tried — and failed — to agree to a timeline for extending the date at which Morrow County Health District will stop its ambulance service.

“Unfortunately, the two parties could not agree on an immediate path forward,” they said in a joint statement. “There is currently disagreement about the length of an extension for MCHD to provide ambulance service.”

Right now, with a 90-day notice in place, the health district’s ambulance service is due to stop on March 12. The commissioners requested a service extension toward the start of the meeting, which kicked off multiple executive sessions among the individual boards and led to a meeting that lasted more than two hours.

By the time the meeting was done, the two groups had amended a previous rule they set to meet at least once a week, instead opting to wait to meet again until the Oregon Health Authority returns the county’s drafted ambulance service area plan.

The health district initially said it was open to the extension request, and made an offer of a two-year extension as a way to allow for plenty of time to finalize the new ambulance service area plan — which is currently under review by the Oregon Health Authority — and offer stability to the district’s employees. From the health district’s perspective, two years is a short extension, as ambulance service contracts usually last for about five years.

The commissioners, however, couldn’t make that kind of commitment, which is a long-term one to them. They made a counterproposal of an extension through June 10, which they believe would give them enough time to receive the edited ambulance service area plan draft from OHA, hear public comments on it and start reviewing contract proposals. To the county, a 90-day extension would allow for stability for its residents while the details of the ambulance service are determined.

However, health district employees who have started looking for other jobs aren’t likely to stay with the district for only 90 days, according to MCHD board member Scott Ezell.

On the other hand, the county isn’t prepared to enter into a longer contract for services that extends far beyond when it will have an approved ambulance service area plan, though the commissioners aren’t sure exactly when that will be.

“After careful consideration by the board, we cannot contractually obligate the health district to a 90-day extension because we may not be able to staff the positions,” said Diane Kilkenny, MCHD board chair, during the meeting. “Our staff as individuals have already started looking for other positions. The health district cannot safely run this service under less than a two-year contract, which is considered short term in EMS. We are absolutely willing to negotiate a two-year extension.”

“I think you’ve heard our position, and we wanted finality this evening,” Commissioner Jeff Wenholz said in response, “so the county will assume ambulance operations on March 13.”

The commissioners previously said they expect to hear a plan to cover ambulance service after the health district’s deadline from County Administrator Matt Jensen at their upcoming regular meeting in Irrigon on Feb. 21 at 9 a.m.

Because of the fixed positions of each entity, John Murray, a MCHD board member, said he saw no reason to continue meeting before the ASA plan was returned. The board of commissioners did not offer a reason to meet again sooner. Instead, the boards agreed to resume meeting after receiving OHA’s feedback on the ASA plan.

OHA’s Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Systems Program reviews ambulance service plans. It has 60 days after submission — until March 16 — to review and respond to the ambulance service plan.

Afiq Hisham, a public information officer with OHA, said in an email that reviews after resubmission usually can happen more quickly, though there is no guarantee of a specific timeline beyond a maximum of two months.

“While we do not have a completion date to share,” Hisham wrote of the review timeline, “we are working to be responsive to Morrow County’s plan submission in light of their request to implement as soon as possible.”

Until then, it seems health district employees, the county commissioners and Morrow County residents are in limbo, waiting for either the arrival of the reviewed ambulance service area plan or March 12, whichever comes first.