The Rotterdam Town Board plans to complete an external audit of Rotterdam Emergency Medical Services Inc. to determine the corps’ financial state before the town considers a contract with the company for ambulance services.
Joe Vanderwerker, president of REMS’ board said the ambulance corps needs a contract with the town of Rotterdam so it can put two basic life-support ambulances on the road 24/7. REMS currently runs with one ambulance regularly.
Vanderwerker estimated the cost of constantly running two basic life support ambulances would be $300,000 annually. He said a contract with the towns of Princetown and Rotterdam, for $32,000 annually which is equivalent to $30 per household would ensure the corps’ viability.
Vanderwerker said he welcomes the audit by the town.
`We want to clear up any mismanagement in the past when the organization merged, so we can move forward,` Vanderwerker said.
In 2003, Rotterdam Medical Corps merged with White Eagle Ambulance to make REMS, and began paying all of their staff, according to Vanderwerker. He said since the merger, bills have been misplaced, and he attributes REMS’ financial difficulties to poor bookkeeping.
Vanderwerker said he plans to hire a bookkeeper for the corps in the near future.
The Town Board voted unanimously Wednesday, Aug. 13, to hire Cusack and Company to complete an audit of the corps at a price not to exceed $3,000. Town Supervisor Steven A. Tommasone said the audit would be complete by the end of September.
Rotterdam officials are not the only officials concerned with REMS financial status. The corps owes the Internal Revenue Service more than $275,000 for unpaid payroll taxes and the interest accrued on the taxes, according to Vanderwerker. The IRS imposed liens on the corps for unpaid payroll taxes twice within the past year.
REMS also owes the Town of Rotterdam more than $20,000 for fuel to operate its rigs.
Tommasone said he would share the information from the audit with the towns of Duanesburg and Princetown, so they could decide whether or not to sign a contract for services.
`They want a clean slate and they want to know where the money is being spent,` Vanderwerker said of the town.
While attending a Princetown Town Board meeting looking for a contract with the town, REMS officials learned that the Duanesburg Volunteer Ambulance Corps will no longer provide service to 72 homes in Princetown, which will place a greater burden on REMS, which will need to respond to calls from Princetown, according to Vanderwerker.
REMS financial hardship was uncovered in March, when Vanderwerker stepped in and began searching through documents thtt revealed the company had several unpaid bills including insurance, taxes and fuel.
`Every time I turned a corner there was a hidden bill,` Vanderwerker said.
REMS operates on the payment of bills for services from the corps, according to Vanderwerker. He said sometimes it takes a month or more to receive payment for services, which he said makes it difficult to pay bills on time.
`We’re taking the first steps to analyze where REMS truly is financially,` Tommasone said. He said he wants to ensure that all the corps’ financial obligations are met, so that REMS can provide adequate service to the town.
`The town continues to grow,` Tommasone said. `More people are coming to Rotterdam to work, and we have to be able to ensure their safety and protection.`
Tommasone added that he is `very confident with the future of ambulance services in town.`
Vanderwerker said he is confident that contracts with the two towns will significantly help the corps financially.
`I believe in my heart that all our financial troubles will go away if we can get these contracts,` he said.“