The Newport Plain Talk

PARROTTSVILLE-Volunteer Ambulance services in Parrottsville ceased regular operations on Tuesday.

Fire Chief Kenny Trentham said, "Because of losses of funding from Cocke County, the ambulance corps is suffering a budget shortfall of $15,000 to $20,000, and cannot provide the level of service previously provided. EMS personnel and EMTs need to be able to earn a living, and that money is just not available."

Trentham said the extra $5,000 to $10,000 (the county cut $10,000) is an estimate, which includes extra money for increasing fuel costs."If we had gotten the $10,000, we could have operated until the next budget," said Trentham.

Trentham told the Plain Talk, "We're not doing away with the ambulance service," but the volunteer service cannot afford to pay an EMT to be there during the day because of cuts. "It's going to make a lot of them (Parrottsville residents) mad," said Trentham when asked how the community will react.

Trentham said the cutbacks can be attributed to, "The CLB and our county mayor. It's going to hurt us a lot."

According to Trentham, it costs $30,000 a year in operating expenditures without paying a salary to volunteers. In addition to the usual allotment of money from the county, Trentham said the ambulance service receives a portion of the volunteer fire department's $12,000 to $13,000 raised at its annual supper and a portion of the $15,000 to $18,000 from two drawings. However, the volunteer service is waiting for paperwork on gaming regulations from Nashville after questions were raised last year about a quilt raffle.

"The fire department is still in good shape," and "We can run the ambulance service 24/7 as long as there are volunteers available," said Trentham. He added, "We just can't afford to keep an EMT there 40-hours a week. But if you have a doctor's appointment and they let us know in advance, we'll take you there."

Cocke County Mayor Iliff McMahan Jr., however, did not agree with Trentham's full assessment of the situation.

"I am saddened to hear that the management of the Parrottsville Ambulance Service has decided to discontinue fulltime ambulance access but I'm glad that they will still provide transport services when they have staff available," said McMahan. "The decision by Parrottsville Fire Chief Kenny Trentham is a tough one to make, but I feel we are very fortunate to know that our E-911 office is always available 24/7 to provide our citizens with professional emergency care with various agencies throughout Cocke County.

"Historically, the county commissioners, as a group, have always supported the Parrottsville Ambulance Service, as has been proven by the financial support they have voted on year after year. The county's proposed and actual contribution to the Parrottsville Ambulance Service for the last several years has been $42,169.

"Last year, during Chief Trentham's tenure, the county commissioners were flooded with telephone calls from citizens concerning the following: professional performance issues, management of services issues and employee behavior issues. The commissioners addressed these issues at public budget meetings with Chief Trentham there to answer questions. After much discussion, it was obvious that many of the county commissioners were not satisfied with the explanations of Chief Trentham and had lost confidence in the ambulance service management.

Trentham replied to McMahan's comment on management and performance issues by saying only a select few in the community have made complaints against the department. Regarding Parrottsville's volunteer services in general, Trentham said, "I've always supported the fire department...I've been with them since the '70s." Trentham continued, "I've offered to leave but they (Parrottsville citizens) won't let me leave. Ninety-nine-percent of the citizens are satisfied with us to my knowledge."

McMahan continued, "A majority of the Finance Committee commissioners voted to cut $10,000 from the $42,169 appropriated before. That left a county contribution to the ambulance service of $32,169. The full county commission voted to support that decision when they passed the budget.

"Never has the County Mayor's Office asked for funding to be cut from any agencies in the Contributions section of the budget, including the Parrottsville Ambulance Service. By state law, the County Mayor is not allowed to vote on any motions in committee or in full legislative body meetings. This responsibility is, by law, totally that of the County Legislative Body."

"Chief Trentham stated that the ambulance service is 'suffering a budget shortfall of $15,000 to $20,000' because of loss of funding from the county. The county commission voted to cut only $10,000 from the contribution to the ambulance service. I believe the citizens should be asking Chief Trentham what happened to the other $5,000 to $10,000?"

McMahan added that the Cocke County Legislative Body is not the sole funding source for the Parrottsville Ambulance Service, nor does it manage the service. That's why the ambulance service is listed as a "Contribution" and not a budgeted line item.

"The county commission is merely asking for accountability and sound management responsibility from any agency to which it contributes money," added McMahan.

"I would suggest that Chief Trentham take a serious look inward, and develop an action plan to address the concerns of professional performance, management of services and employee behavior issues, and not try to place blame on others.

"If Chief Trentham is serious about restoring confidence in the Parrottsville Ambulance Service with the county commissioners, including any funding, then I encourage him to contact me and I will work with him on an action plan to do just that."

Trentham said, "Some of us have tried to talk to Iliff." Adding, "I supported him during the last election and he's turned against us. I will try to see Mr. McMahan."

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