Ambulance authority makes McCandless budget request

McCandless Franklin Park Ambulance Authority is asking for a $110,000 contribution from the Town of McCandless, similar to last year’s budget request.

The MFPAA estimated revenue and expenses for 2025 are balanced at more than $3.9 million, according to Chief Chris Dell, who presented a review of the nonprofit at McCandless’ Oct. 29 council meeting.

Dell said the MFPAA contribution requests from the additional four communities it services are Bradford Woods, $5,000; Franklin Park, $57,000; Marshall, $40,000; and Pine, $40,000.

“We are spending the money that we’ve been allotted wisely,” he said.

This year, the authority replaced a paramedic squad vehicle at $90,000 and added another ambulance to the fleet for $400,000. The fleet now has six vehicles.

Another $100,000 was used for significant facility investments, mostly at the McCandless facility on Grubbs Road.

The authority’s fundraising total is $1.29 million so far this year, compared with about $691,000 in 2021, according to Dell.

Funds come from donations and capital drives, subscriptions, business drives and grants, including $300,000 toward a new ambulance.

The majority of the budget will go toward ambulance services and operations, Dell said.

“I like to think that we spend our money wisely, every penny of it, very, very wisely,” he said.

The MFPAA will answer a projected 5,900 calls in McCandless for 2024, both nonemergency and emergency.

The authority’s current call response for all call types is 948 for Pine, 679 for Franklin Park, 592 for Marshall and 66 for Bradford Woods.

Dell noted it’s been a busy year for the authority, which received a national accreditation through the Commission of Accreditation of Ambulance Services, one of 186 in the nation. The MFPAA also achieved the Mission Lifeline Gold Award from the American Heart Association for excellence in cardiac and stroke care.

The town council meeting included a budget workshop with presentations covering expenses regarding public safety, public works, general funds and more.

The 2025 proposed consolidated municipal budget is more than $27 million, according to a presentation by Trisha Greathouse, assistant town manager.

The next budget workshop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11, during the town council meeting. A public hearing on the budget will be held at the Nov. 25 council meeting.

A public hearing review, salary reviews and vote to approve the budget is scheduled for Dec. 9.

Videos of meetings are available at townofmccandless.org.