It wasn’t until nearly one week after the news broke about a lawsuit, that the Exeter Ambulance Association (EAA) was served lawsuit papers from Exeter Township, said EAA President Kathy Cortellessa last Wednesday.
Exeter Township is suing EAA to recoup $52,128.69 in unpaid fuel and vehicle maintenance bills.
Cortellessa confirmed on Sept. 23 that those expenses are for the period October 2013 to June 2015.
She said, however, that former Chief of Operations Jonathan W. Herbsleb had negotiated with the township for EAA to repay approximately $20,000 by March 2015.
“We were not required to pay the entire bill, but I don’t know the exact amount,” said Cortellessa.
Herbsleb recently resigned his position.
She said repaying even $20,000 is now problematic, since EAA has not been the township’s primary 9-1-1 responder since March.
The Exeter Township Board of Supervisors approved last December for the Exeter Fire Department to fill that role instead of the EAA.
The township has removed the EAA from its run cards, and Berks County 911 removed the EAA from all municipalities’ run cards this summer.
That is until the Amity Township Board of Supervisors approved on Aug. 19 to add the EAA to its run cards.
Amity Township will soon put out an RFP (request for proposal) from local and solvent ambulance services.
Cortellessa said the EAA was replaced after it negotiated for annual funding of $44 per household from the township in order to continue operating.
She said the township instead “paid $500,000 into the fire department.”
“When the paper broke [on Sept. 16], we had not received anything,” said Cortellessa, adding, “We were served just two days ago. Several things were communicated and not communicated.”
“We have extended an olive branch to the township,” said Cortellessa about the e-mail she sent that day to Exeter Township Manager Troy Bingaman and to Supervisor Jeff Burkowski.
“We want to sell the [ambulance] building to Exeter Township. We never intended to not pay, and we intend to pay the bill by selling the building and using that as an asset.”
She doesn’t know why the township has not approached the EAA nor opened any line of communication with them.
“We are very excited to move forward and we are working toward the best interests of the township. We are interested in selling the building to get out of debt.”
Cortellessa said that would be a solution for everyone.
“Our goal is to go with Amity Township. If not, we have no other choice but to cease operations. We’re hoping to submit a proposal to Amity Township.”
“We just want to stop the craziness and come to Amity Township.”
“We’re not going away. We want to serve the people of the community, the county, and neighboring states.”
“It’s really about the township citizens. I’ve tried my best to build bridges. It’s about saving lives – not about having a big building – and how we are doing it equitably.”
“This is about the citizens – for the citizens.”
The two phone calls to Bingaman on Sept. 24 and 25 by Southern Berks News, were not returned.
