The issue of whether to continue using a private ambulance company or switch to Salem Fire emergency services is back before the Salem City Council on Monday.

The city considered ending its contract with Falck Northwest and taking over emergency medical service response at the last regular meeting but ultimately tabled the issue to allow for more discussion.

Salem Fire Chief Mike Niblock said Falck, which has operated in the city since 2015, has failed to meet their contractual requirement of 1,030 hours a week for the past year.

When Falck was selected as the provider, no city tax dollars were intended to support the private company.

Niblock said in a report to council that Falck’s failure to meet the contractual obligations has “caused the Fire Department to expend $3.3 million overtime dollars to subsidize the EMS System to ensure appropriate service delivery to the public, dating back to November 2021.”

Falck blames severe staffing shortages for paramedics and contends Salem Fire would face the same workforce challenge.

If passed by the City Council, Salem Fire would become the exclusive ambulance provider on July 1, 2025.

Other agenda items include:

• An Urban Renewal Agency Board vote on whether to initiate the creation of a new North Waterfront Urban Renewal Area to address the blight north of downtown near Market Street and the Willamette River and encourage redevelopment.

• An Urban Renewal Agency Board vote on whether to approve a maximum grant amount exception totaling $600,000 for rehabilitation of the interior and exterior of the former Liberty Plaza. The new owners of the building are rebranding the property the Forge and planning a mix of businesses, salons and eateries.

• A City Council vote on whether to approve an initial application for a property tax exemption to the Micronesian Islander Community for low-incoming housing. A 41-unit housing development is planned by the nonprofit at 2210 Commercial St. NE.

• A vote on whether to authorize the creation of a mid-year project for the installation of a perimeter intrusion detection system on the east side of the Salem Airport. The TSA recommends the system to enhance security on the side of the airport near Garmin Aviation Technologies and save the company and airport from having to spend money on obtaining and managing airport ID badges for all Garmin employees.

• An update on the revenue task force’s work to meet with members of the community and develop a plan for increasing revenue in the city.

• A vote on whether to authorize the city manager to apply for a FEMA grant to get three new ambulances for the fire department.

• Hearing an information report on recent activity and progress on the 2022 voter-approved safety and livability bond measure.

How to participate in the Salem City Council meeting

The meeting is at 6 p.m. It will be held in person in the City Council Chambers at the Salem Civic Center, 555 Liberty St. SE, and also can be watched on Comcast Cable CCTV Channel 21 or on the Salem YouTube channel in English/American Sign Language and Spanish.

Those wishing to comment in person can sign up on the rosters at the chamber entrance before the start of the meeting.

Written public comments on agenda items can be emailed by 5 p.m. Monday to cityrecorder@cityofsalem.net. Or preregister between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday at cityofsalem.net/Pages/Public-Comment-at-Salem-City-Council-Meeting.aspx to speak during the meeting via Zoom.

For questions, comments and news tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodworth@statesmanjournal.com, call 503-910-6616 or follow on Twitter at @wmwoodworth

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Salem City Council to discuss ambulance provider switch