McCandless proposes 1st-time contribution to McCandless Franklin Park Ambulance Authority

The proposed 2024 budget for McCandless contains the township’s first-ever cash contribution to the McCandless Franklin Park Ambulance Authority, according to Assistant Town Manager and Finance Director Trisha Greathouse.

The authority had requested $161,680 from McCandless, whose population is the largest of the five communities the authority serves. The town is proposing $100,000 in its preliminary budget, she said.

For 2023, the authority had asked for $235,000 from the town, but received no funding, said ambulance authority Chief Chris Dell.

“Our request for 2024 is less because of our successful efforts at cutting costs in 2023,” he said. “Sadly, it is not enough.”

Marcia Caliendo, chairwoman for the ambulance authority, said it is working to reduce costs, but still has a $350,000 deficit.

Emergency medical services across Western Pennsylvania have found themselves struggling to survive. Minimal state and municipal funding, combined with sluggish private donations, has leaders scraping by and some services on the brink of folding.

“We reduced employee benefits and workers compensation costs, as well as other routine costs by over $100,000,” said Caliendo, which helped the authority to reduce its funding request to McCandless as compared to 2023. She said the authority also has been able to increase the number of calls.

“This is a portion of our total ask of $350,000 from our five municipalities,” she said.

The authority has requested $72,928 next year from Franklin Park; $61,635 from Pine; $43,403 from Marshall, and $10,354 from Bradford Woods.

The authority has not received confirmation those requests will be met, said Caliendo.

Franklin Park has been the only municipality to consistently provide funds to the authority. In 2023, Franklin Park increased its appropriation to $100,000.

“They have given us annually about $30,000, she said.

Some of the municipal funding would be used to replace an aging ambulance at $250,000.

McCandless allows the authority to purchase its fuel, vehicle parts and vehicle maintenance from the township. The authority pays the town for those goods and services. McCandless is expecting that the ambulance authority will purchase $80,000 in goods and services from the township in 2024.

Ambulance authority finances its operating budget by billing for medical services and through grants, annual membership subscriptions and donations.

Greathouse said during budget presentations to town council on Oct. 23 and Nov. 13 that numbers in the proposed budget could change before it is brought to council on Dec. 11 for final approval.