Ashland Speaks

By Lula Anderson

Another week gone by and another week closer to Spring.  We’re finally getting the snow that we’ve been waiting for which is so beautiful to look at.  I find it hard to write while I’m looking out my windows as the beauty just draws me in and makes me daydream.  I think of how we couldn’t wait for  our chores to be done so we could go out and play in the snow.  We’d wax down the runners on our sleds with plain old candle wax to make them fly down the road.  We waited until the snowplows scraped the roads and we’d go.  Now I don’t even know if kids go out and play in the snow, except paying for it at the slopes. 

Last week Judy had an eye doctor’s appointment in Albany, so her son, Jay, took her up and from there they went to see her sister, Janet, who lives in Senior Housing.  It’s a good thing they had planned on eating in as the elevator was out and Janet wouldn’t have been able to leave.  Anyway, it was a very nice visit and I’ll probably go to see her when I go to my retina doctor.

Bill Mead had an exciting couple of weeks.  We went to Pastor Steffan’s funeral and his widow asked if he knew of a place where her grandson could stay while he was taking EMT courses in Albany.  Being Bill has an empty house and plenty of bedrooms, guess who has a roommate?  The same week, Bill’s friends from Michigan came to visit for a week and daughter, Sandy, came down.  From quiet to noisy.  Bill and Lisa went back to Michigan, Sandy went home, but Justin is still enjoying living in Jewett.

The Windham UMC Women’s group held their annual reorganizational meeting and set dates for their upcoming fundraisers.  As soon as they are set in stone, I’ll let you know.

Don’t forget the VFW February breakfast on February 18th.  I’ll remind you as time gets nearer.

Have you remembered to put the WAJ Drama Club presentation of PETER PAN on your calendars?  Senior Citizen production is March 7th.

Last fall the furnace went out at my Ashland Community Church.  We got a brand new one installed so now the church is cozy and warm and ready to welcome you to our Sunday Services.  (Someone has to pay for it.  HA)

We, seriously, invite all to attend services.  It’s nice to be able to sit and meditate with others, plus coffee hour afterwards. 

Great breakfast last Saturday in Prattsville sponsored by the Youth Group

Greene County Dept of Aging is hosting FALL PREVENTION courses courtesy of The Pines in Catskill.  On Thursday February 8 they will be at the     Jewett Nutrition Center (Rt 23C and 296) and on Thursday, February 22 in Acra.  The discussion is from 11:30 – 12.  If you would like to stay for lunch you must call at least one day in advance.  On Feb 8 the meal is a complete turkey dinner (to die for).  February 22 is  delicious meat loaf.  Call Jewett 518-263-4392 or Acra 518-622-9898.

Prayers and sympathy to the family of Ed Raeder and the Roe family.

Please remember Maya Carl’s father, Buck in your prayers.  He now needs 24/7 home care which Maya and her son are providing.  Prayers for Lisa and Jose Morrero who are traveling back and forth to New Jersey to spend as much time as possible with her father. 

AS I REMEMBER IT

As I watch that ever ugly news  , I heard about the loss of the two Navy Seals which brings back memories to myself and many of others who tragically lost family and friends with unknown circumstances, remains never returned to the families for closure.  My first memories were of Percy Partridge who was lost on the Island of Guam in the 1940’s, then of Billy Hitchcock who was lost at sea with four others in 1965 when their plane disappeared.  We can hold memorial services, but never feel really at peace with their loss.  While I write this, the news has announced that they have found an undersea image of a plane that is in the area where Amelia Earhart is said to have disappeared in 1937.  After so many years, there is still the unsolved mystery of what happened to her.  No matter the length of time in between, the pain is still there and is brought to the surface when we hear of another loss.  We pray for each and every family going through this ordeal.

When trying to remember something and it’s just not there – I’m stuck at the things we do remember.  When I hear of a person being killed by a drunk driver, my mind automatically goes back to that Sunday more than 20 years ago when I was called to go downstairs during church to be told that my sister was killed by a drunk driver at the bridge by the Game Farm.  So many years ago and it feels like yesterday.  I feel your pain.

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Busy Day at Hunter Mountain

Our own Max Oppen snapped this photo of a busy weekend at Hunter Mountain this past weekend.

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Filmed Locally - Cold Comes the Night

By Bradley Towle

GREENE COUNTY — “Cold Comes the Night” is a 2014 crime-thriller starring Bryan Cranston and Alice Eve. The bleak, neo-noir tale was filmed in Cairo, Durham, and Windham, and viewers familiar with the area will be able to tell. The film was shot over twenty-two days in October and November 2012, and the gray end of an upstate New York fall sets the tone for the film throughout. It was actor Bryan Cranston’s first film role following the conclusion of the revered television series, “Breaking Bad,” in which he played the notorious teacher-turned-meth-kingpin, Walter White. Here, Cranston plays the nearly blind, aging criminal, Topo, who, on his way to the Canadian border and driven by his accomplice/nephew, Quincy, stops in a motel owned by Chloe, played by Alice Eve (“Star Trek Into Darkness”). Chloe, a struggling single mother, soon finds herself spiraling further into Topo’s underworld after a tragic event involving Quincy and a prostitute. Topo takes Chloe and her daughter, Sophia, hostage to be his eyes as he attempts to retrieve a duffel bag full of money from a corrupt police officer, played by Logan Marshall-Green. Ah, the bag of cash. A reliable prop and motivating device at the epicenter in many a film noir/crime drama. Despite the star power of Cranston and Eve, the film received tepid reviews upon its release, with Eve often receiving the highest praise out of any of the film’s elements (Cranston speaks in a somewhat cartoonish Russian accent throughout, and with almost no background given to the character, one wonders why it was even necessary). Many critics pointed to the effectiveness of the setting, with critic Christie Lemire complimenting the “vividly bleak atmosphere” and Justin Chang noting “the underpopulated New York locations beautifully capture a sense of desolation.” Locations in Cairo, East Durham, and Windham offered the right location for filmmaker Tze Chun’s “Cold Come The Night.”

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Out Lexington Way

By Christine Dwon

The Soup and Fellowship Kitchen is serving free soup and sandwiches every second and fourth Tuesdays of the month – Feb. 13 and Feb. 27 – in the Blue Room at the Kaaterskill United Methodist Church, 5942 Main Street, Tannersville from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  All welcome so come and enjoy the fellowship and even play some board games.

Happy birthday to Rose Williams on Friday, Feb. 2.

Tuesday, Feb. 6, we wish Diane Pendarvis a very happy birthday.
Diane Potter’s birthday is Wednesday, Feb. 7.

Happy birthday wishes to Charlotte Jaeger on Thursday, Feb. 8.

Best wishes to everyone.

The Greene County Department of Human Services Senior Nutrition Program menu for the week of Feb. 5 – Feb. 9 is as follows:  Monday—Sloppy Joes, cauliflower/broccoli medley, white rice, tropical fruit; Tuesday—Baked salmon with dill sauce, spinach, butternut squash, brown rice pilaf, pears; Wednesday—Chicken Divan, Monaco vegetable mix, white rice, chocolate chip cookies; Thursday—Hot turkey dinner with gravy, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, carrot coins, stuffing, pumpkin pie; Friday—Macaroni and cheese, 3-bean salad, stewed tomatoes, fresh fruit.  The menu will be the meal that is delivered to all Greene County homebound meal clients.  If you have food allergy, please notify the department.  Allergen information is available for prepared food items.  All persons over the age of 60 can receive a meal.  Suggested donation for each meal is $4.  Those wishing to receive a meal are required to call the respective location by noon a day in advance.  The number to call for the Senior Service Center at the Jewett Municipal Building, Route 23C, Jewett is 518-263-4392.

Lexington/West Kill UMC Administrative Council will meet Wednesday, Feb. 7 at 4 p.m. in the church hall.

On the second Tuesday of the month, Feb. 13, you are invited to attend a Coffee Klatch at the Hunter Public Library, 7965 Main Street, Hunter from 10 a.m. to noon with light refreshments, coffee and tea.  

Friday, Feb. 16 is the next Potluck Dinner Church at the Lexington/West Kill UMC, 54 County Route 13A, Lexington at 6 p.m.  All welcome to come and join in the fellowship.

Mark your calendars for the annual Friends of the Feathered and Furry Freeze Your Butt Off Bake Sale on Sunday, Feb. 18 at the Go Green Station in Tannersville starting at 10 a.m. 

The annual Children’s Ice Fishing Derby sponsored by the Catskill Mountain Fish and Game Club and the Stony Clove Rod and Gun Club will be held Sunday, Feb. 25 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Rip Van Winkle/Tannersville Lake.  Registration starts at 9 a.m.  Prizes will be awarded for the largest fish and the most fish in both Junior and Senior Divisions.  The derby is open to children up to 16 years old.  Children 16 years of age must have a valid fishing license.  You may fish with up to three tip ups or hand lines and use single hooks only.  Live bait and some tip ups will be available for use.  For info call Bob Monteleone at 518-488-0240.

Lexington/West Kill UMC, 54 County Route 13A, Lexington, is hosting another Micro Sunday School for all ages through age 12, three Saturdays in March from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. -- March 9, March 16, March 23 – concluding with a super fun Easter Egg Hunt on March 23.  Easter is early this year, Sunday, March 31.  For more information call Susan at 518-429-8054.

Thank you to all law enforcement, firefighters, EMS, dispatchers, healthcare providers, volunteers, teachers, farmers, truck drivers and so many more.

Prayers for all who are dealing with loss, illnesses, healing, difficulties, our country, our military and their families, the world.

Until next week take care, be thankful, be respectful, be safe and please be kind to one another.  Your at of kindness may change someone’s life.

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BETTER THAN HEARSAY - When Death We Do Part

By Michael Ryan

CATSKILL - It is pure conjecture whether human beings care or not about which coroner handles our body, if necessary, when we become corpses.

I realize it is probably a seldom-if-ever discussed topic but I feel a little like an expert on the subject since my mother died at home.

Her name is Dorothy. She passed away in the wee hours of a summer morning in 2001 after a night of dancing at a local resort.

My sister found her and called me so I went to the house, having no idea what to do. I don’t remember the exact sequence of events.

At some point, though, there were two state troopers and a Greene County coroner on the scene, making sure there was no foul play.

It was an unattended death so they were just doing their jobs. I stayed with her until the undertaker came and we moved her out of her bedroom.

There was an unexpected and lasting sense of resolution, carefully carrying her down a narrow stairway into the hearse and off my mother went.

Things didn’t go quite that smoothly when a person passed away in the town of Prattsville, in mid-January, ultimately resulting in the county legislature changing the way coroners do their duty.

The story, as I hear it, is that the person passed sometime after midnight and a coroner didn’t arrive for three hours which is a long, long time.

There are four coroners in the county, geographically split between the valley and the mountaintop. It is an elected position.

Reportedly, neither of the two mountaintop-based coroners, Hassan Basagic nor Daniel Gulino, were called to go to Prattsville.

Instead, the call from the state police went to Gerard Buckley, based in Cairo. Basagic is in Hunter and Gulino is in Windham.

The lengthy delay in arriving, and the fact that the body was transported by Buckley to Gulino, caused a stir, prompting the legislature to take unprecedented action at a workshop, last week.

Lawmakers decided that, as of February 1, specificity would be written into how coroners are dispatched and by whom.

It is tricky ground since the coroners are voted into office. The legislature doesn’t want to tread on the sanctity of how they conduct business.

“They don’t have a boss,” legislature chairman Patrick Linger said in a phone interview. “But we control policy and the purse strings.

“We have gone to the coroners in the past. There has never been a policy in place,” Linger said, meaning who gets called and by whom.

It has generally been assumed a gentlemen’s agreement was in place, using a round robin system to summon a coroner, although nothing is etched in stone or even drawn in the sand.

“They don’t necessarily have geographies that they cover,” Linger said. “They aren’t designated for certain quadrants of the county.

“The state police are comfortable calling Mr. Buckley. That’s not a problem necessarily. He is usually able to drop what he is doing and go.

“But that doesn’t leave any record-keeping,” Linger said. “From now on, if a coroner is not called by the county 911 dispatcher, they will not get paid.

“The state police will be advised that calls have to go through the county dispatcher. This came to a head in Prattsville. If there is a complaint like this in the future, we will have records.”

No favoritism has been intimated and neither Basagic nor Gulino, who also run funeral homes, are voicing dissatisfaction over the matter.

“There seems to have been a miscommunication this time,” Gulino said in a phone interview. “There isn’t any bad blood between anyone. We are all on the same page, doing the right thing for people.”

“I’ve got no complaints,” said Basagic, who has been a coroner for 50 years. “Sometimes I’m not able to go cross-county but I’ve let them know [at the 911 Center] that I’m available unless I’m busy with a funeral.”

The hearsay is the coroners have better knowledge than anyone else about why Buckley got the Prattsville call and their own internal operations and if there is an unwritten chain of command and who is available when.

It’s much simpler for lawmakers. “Maybe, at 2 a.m.,” Linger said, “you might not get a coroner to answer the phone right away. And the county has had three new coroners within the past two years.

“But this is most importantly about a service being provided and getting someone to a call, respectfully taking care of that person’s body.

“The official policy, done administratively, now is that all law enforcement agencies seeking coroners must go through the 911 system.

“An underlying issue is parity. There will be a rotating list of who gets called. The 911 Center will keep records. There will be checks and balances,” Linger said.

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Sgt. James F. Carty, DSC VFW Post 1545

Well, we had a bit of snow. Not what was forecast but enough for me. Our Post will be holding a dinner this Friday for the Warriors in Motion in cooperation with the Adaptive Sports Foundation.

This is an event that our Post looks forward to each year. We get to talk with the warriors as comrades that served in combat as all our members have served.

I am trying to get our last WWII veteran to attend if he is able. It is always special when a WWII veteran is in attendance to show his respect to all the younger Warrior veterans. 

As a matter of fact, years ago when the ASF had the Wounded Warriors come into Windham, they had the dinner at St. Theresa’s RC Church Hall. 

At that time our Post building had no handicapped access or restrooms. We then decided to upgrade our building in hopes of having dinner at our building.

Well, in previous articles, have told the story of our rebuild and that was one reason for upgrading.

At that time, we had four WWII veterans and many Korean veterans and to see the Warriors interact with them was memorable. It is our honor to show our appreciation for their service.

The Adaptive Sports Foundation is such a special organization for all they do for these warriors. 

They suffer from many difficulties when they return home and the ADF does wonders to get them out and allow them to participate in skiing along with other activities. We salute the staff for all they do for our troops. 

Now our country is in such a worldwide turmoil and our troops are in a difficult position. How we proceed with this aggression is a worry for all of us.

No one wants to send our sons and daughters into a war with anyone. Being a veteran of Vietnam, I know how the families left behind are effected.

I will never forget how my family was so happy to see me when I came home. A relief from their worries. Always keep our troops serving today in your prayers. 

Our Post will hold a pancake breakfast on Saturday, February 17 from 8  a.m. till 12 p.m. Pancakes, blueberry pancakes, bacon, sausage, orange juice, coffee, fruit and of course coffee.

It is a good will offering, so please join us. This could be a post Valentines Day present for your special person.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced four burial updates for service members who have been missing and unaccounted for from World War II and the Korean War. Returning home for burial with full military honors are:

-- Army Master Sgt. Roy E. Barrow, 39, of Valdosta, Georgia, was a member of King Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on Dec. 12, 1950. He will be buried in his hometown on Jan. 27, 2024.
-- Navy Pharmacist’s Mate 2nd Class Merle C. J. Hillman, 25, of Holyoke, Massachusetts, was assigned to the battleship USS California, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft on Dec. 7, 1941. He was among 104 crewmen killed that day. He will be buried in his hometown on Jan. 27, 2024. 
-- Army Staff Sgt. Leroy C. Cloud, 24, of Thrall, Texas, was assigned to Company A, 744th Tank Battalion. He was reported missing in action on July 26, 1944, and the Army issued a report of death on Aug. 16 that same year. He will be buried in Taylor, Texas, on April 7, 2024. 
-- Army Master Sgt. Thomas Crayton, 28, of Austin, Texas, was a member of Alpha Battery, 503rd Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, Eighth U.S. Army. He went missing in action on Dec. 1,1950, and died while a prisoner of war on Feb. 11,1951.

Interment services are pending. Just want everyone to know that our comrades are never forgotten. The VFW magazine publishes this report monthly. Should you qualify for membership, please contact our Post at vfwpost1545@gmail.com.  God bless America.

Marc Farmilette, PDC – Commander Post 1545.

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LEGISLATURE STUFF - Exciting and Maybe Less Exciting

By Michael Ryan

CATSKILL - It isn’t always action-packed at the Greene County Legislature where mundane matters also require close attention.

Lawmakers are in the midst of picking people for what could be a pair of sub-committees that will begin a study on the possible creation of a countywide ambulance system.

Members are expected to be drawn from among emergency services professionals along with town and county government officials.

They will compile a complete overview of the current conditions and costs connected to ambulance response and transport, coordinating with an outside consultant retained by the county this past December.

Fitch & Associates, with its home office in Platte City, Missouri, has been hired for $49,000 plus out-of-pocket expenses up to $100,000, primarily operating via computer Zoom.

The company will also make at least one visit to the area, getting boots on the ground, seeing first hand the challenges facing the county in terms of the vast variations in terrain and population densities.

It is expected the consultants, once underway, will wrap up their part in the project within three to four months, leading to what lawmakers and town and village leaders hope is an answer to a persistent issue.

Ambulance service is an irreversible transition from volunteer units to paid, full time squads, providing both on-scene care and patient transport to a hospital without breaking the backs of we mules of taxation.

“We have been down this road before and came away without a solution to the problem” legislature chairman Patrick Linger says, referencing a Task Force assembled a decade ago for the same purpose.

A countywide response and transport system was proposed at that time but did not get enough support from key municipalities to move forward.

“It failed back then. We don’t want to put that effort in now and have it fail again. We need to come up with something actionable to improve the system we already have in place,” Linger says.

“I believe that can be done with this consultant. Part of the reason they were chosen is because they are not based in New York State.”

“They will be able to look at our situation with very different eyes and present ideas that we maybe haven’t considered,” Linger says.

A few familiar names in emergency services are starting to emerge as possible members of one sub-committee, awaiting confirmation.

They will apparently be joined by a second sub-committee composed of one or two legislators and town supervisors from the valley and the mountaintop, as well as other experts.

While the prospect of getting everyone on the same emergency services page is generating some excitement, other actions taken by lawmakers, although important, are producing less hubbub.

Legislators approved a resolution authorizing participation in Round 4 of the New York State Septic System Repair Program.

The program, working with the Department of Environmental Conservation,

offers funding to counties to help eligible property owners replace septic systems with grants for up to 50 percent of the cost.

DEC has provided a list of “priority waterbodies” inside the county with the number of potential structures within 250 feet of the waterbody that are in the geographic scope of the Round 4 program.

While the “towns and villages on the mountaintop in the New York City watershed are already serviced by a septic repair and replacement program operated by the Catskill Watershed Corporation.

“Greene County is interested in supporting eligible property owners…excluding those water bodies located within the NYC watershed,” the resolution states, designating the Greene County Soil and Water Conservation District  as the program contact.

A letter was dispatched to county administrator Shaun Groden from Bureau of Water Resource Management, Section B chief Susan Van Patten, formally inviting the county to participate.

“The State Septic System Replacement Fund Grant Program was established in 2017 to improve water quality by replacing failing or inadequate septic systems around a waterbody,” the letter states.

Some water bodies identified on the list include the Schoharie Reservoir, Huntersfield Creek, Batavia Kill, Onteora Pond, Tannersville reservoirs, Hannacroix Creek, Hudson River, and Mink Hollow Brook.

In another matter, lawmakers awarded the bid for supplying meat, canned goods, frozen supplies and paper goods to Ginsberg’s Inc.

Ginsberg’s Inc. based in Hudson, submitted the lone bid, being awarded a 7-month contract for all meat, canned goods and frozen supplies (January 1-July 31, 2024) and a 12-month deal for paper goods (January 1-December 31, 2024), the resolution states.

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Bear Pen Sports Mountain to Host USA Luge Challenge

By Michael Ryan

PRATTSVILLE -  The purpose is twofold on February 10 when Bear Pen Sports Mountain in Prattsville hosts a unique USA Luge Challenge.

First and foremost is “providing kids and adults with a chance to experience the sport,” says event promoter and host Patrick delRosario.

“This is your chance to try luge at Bear Pen for free. This program was started to introduce to many people what may be an unusual sport.

“Not many kids we know say they want to do luge, but the word luge means “sled” in French and how many kids go sledding?” delRosario says.

Anyone from age nine to still-willing-to-go-sliding-down-a-hill-at their-age is welcome to participate, with training beginning at 10 a.m.

While having fun finishes first, next Saturday, finding possible future racers is a close-second reason for coming.

Luge is an Olympic event in which America has never won a gold medal, a tradition USA Luge would like - no, make that intends- to change.

The difference between a gold and silver or bronze medal - or perhaps not making the podium at all - can break down to 100th’s of a second.

So, in addition to fostering a passion for sliding, events such as these can and do serve as places where hidden treasures are found.

“Coaches will also be keeping an eye out for talented kids, kids who love to go fast,” delRosario says. “A camp like this can be the initial step on the road to becoming an Olympian.

“And speaking of Olympians, there will several on hand to coach the kids through the basics of steering and stopping the sled.”

Races begin at 2 p.m. in four categories; boys, girls, men and women, riding plastic replicas of steel sleds. Prizes are given to the top three finishers in each category.

A kid showing potential may be asked to try the sport on ice (rather than Catskills snow) at an official USA Luge talent screening camp in Lake Placid, New York, or Park City, Utah.

Three-time Olympian Summer Britcher, of Glen Rock, Pennsylvania, was discovered in a USA Luge Challenge in 2006 at Ski Liberty.

“As the top luge athletes from around the world compete in Europe and North America, USA Luge will bring the thrill of the sport to ski and board areas during the winter months,” the USA Luge website states.

“Families and winter sports enthusiasts who attend these weekend events can experience the Fastest Sport on Ice® in a safe slope-side setting, with help from USA Luge Olympians, international medalists and coaches. 

“After learning the basics of accelerating, steering and stopping, adults and children can take practice runs down a track complete with curves and timing equipment.

“Fans can enjoy a live DJ/emcee and prize drawings while participants spend the afternoon tackling the course in a race against the clock,” the USA Luge website states.

Bear Pen has long been a destination for outdoor enthusiasts. Bear Pen was also once home to the Princeton Ski Bowl from 1955 to 1969. 

The mountain was founded by Ben Lane, then a student at Princeton University. As the president of the Princeton Outing Club, Lane scouted areas in upstate New York for hiking and skiing.

He eventually fell in love with Bear Pen Mountain and established several trails descending from the 3,600ft summit, the highest elevation of any ski area in the Catskills.

After several years of operation, Princeton Ski Bowl closed its doors in 1959. Decades later, Bear Pen Mountain continues to draw outdoor winter enthusiasts from all walks of life with new owners.

The father-daughter team of Howard and Dominique Rennell hope to share their enthusiasm for the outdoors and their love of Bear Pen Mountain with visitors. Once again, Bear Pen Mountain is a home for winter sports!

USA Luge Challenge is being presented locally by Massey Ferguson/Eklund Farm Machinery. Bear Pen Sports Mountain is located at 1491 County Route 2, in the hills outside Prattsville.

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NYSAC Shows Staunch Support For Emergency Services

By Michael Ryan

CATSKILL - The timing couldn’t be better for Greene County as the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) voices ardent support for statewide advances in emergency medical services. 

NYSAC members, at a meeting on Tuesday in Albany, backed measures put forward by Governor Kathy Hochul that, if approved, would identify ambulance response and transport as an “essential service.”

The re-branding would put life-saving rescue operations in the same genre as firefighting, simultaneously setting the stage for the formation of tax districts to fund the effort.

Greene County is ahead of the curve, recently hiring an outside consultant to perform a countywide study on the costs and conditions of ambulance service (see related story in our “Legislature Stuff” column).

County deputy administrator Warren Hart, noting that county deputy budget officer Kevin Forbes attended the NYSAC talks, says the shoe is on the other foot in terms of helping rescue systems survive.

“We need to rescue our EMS. There is a statewide crisis in emergency services transport, among others,” Hart says.

“These are services we provide on a daily basis.These are essential services that we need to invest in, including the EMS services personnel, many of whom are volunteers.

“There is no hospital in Greene County and we need the best transport system possible. Thanks to NYSAC for bringing the counties together.

“The [Hochul] bill would allow for joint taxing districts both at the town and county levels. The Greene County Legislature is jointly working with the towns to address EMS transport.

“The county is working with a national expert on the subject, Fitch and Associates, who will be conducting a comprehensive system overview of the county’s EMS medical transportation program,” Hart says.

NYSAC, meanwhile, is pushing as many bureaucratic buttons as possible, putting forth a legislative proposal called “Rescue EMS.” 

“In some areas of the state, ambulance wait times are getting longer and longer, and a lack of volunteers and funding shortfalls have thrown our EMS systems into crisis,” a NYSAC press release states. 

“The legislative package, which NYSAC worked in close collaboration with state legislators and EMS providers to craft, is designed to provide local governments with the authority to create and fund countywide EMS services,” the press release states

It will do so by establishing a foundation to, “provide financial incentives for EMS workers to enter and stay in the field and update Medicaid reimbursement rates to reflect current needs and costs.”

The “Rescue EMS” package, according to the NYSAC press release, includes the following legislation:

—Special Taxing Districts & EMS Being Deemed an Essential Service. This comprehensive legislative package allows special taxing districts to be created to fund EMS services.

In addition, this legislation would recognize EMS as an essential service and provide reforms to the Emergency Medical Services Council.

—Property Tax Exemption for EMS Services. This legislation would remove EMS services from the real property tax cap.

This would allow local municipalities to expand and better support their local EMS services. This measure is needed in the short-term while other solutions are being discussed.

—Authorization of Reimbursement for Treatment in Place and Transportation to Alternative Destinations. Effective immediately, NYS should establish a mechanism within the Medicaid Fee Schedule for Ground Ambulance Services.

That mechanism would provide reimbursement to emergency medical service agencies for providing emergency medical care to Medicaid enrollees without transporting them from the location where medical care was administered to the beneficiary. 

Reimbursements shall be made when emergency medical care is provided to a Medicaid enrollee after a call, text, or other request for emergency medical care.

—Income Tax and Property Tax Credits. This legislation allows volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers to claim both state income and local property tax credits.

—Income Tax Credit Increase. This legislation increases the volunteer firefighters’ and ambulance workers’ personal income tax credit from $200 to $800 for eligible individuals and from $400 to $1,600 for eligible married joint filers.

—Targeted Medicaid Rate Increase for EMS Providers. This bill would create a methodology for ambulance reimbursement under Medicaid that more closely approximates the cost of providing the service.

Ambulances are required by law to pick everyone up, including Medicaid patients. It is unfair to require these ambulance companies to accept Medicaid patients and then not fairly reimburse them for the costs of providing services to these patients,” the NYSAC press release states.

Ryan Gregoire, director of legislative affairs for NYSAC, puts it succinctly, stating, “a package of measures put forward by Hochul in her budget presentation is the most comprehensive, impactful and sincere EMS proposal I have seen in my career.”

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