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Adding ambulances on hold Plan awaits task force's review of Shelby's 911 response system By Michael Erskine Shelby County Commission members were poised just
last month to spend $1 million to put three more ambulances on the
streets.
That plan is off the table, at least for a few months, until a new task
force completes its review of the county's 911 emergency response system.
The panel, appointed by county Mayor A
C Wharton, met for the first time Wednesday to organize and outline what
issues need to be addressed. These issues include dispatching practices,
equipment, communications between agencies and educating the public on the
appropriate use of 911.
Two high-profile deaths, including that of former Memphis mayor Wyeth
Chandler, have turned the spotlight on emergency response near county and
municipal borders. Much of the debate has focused on how to get the
closest ambulance to emergency scenes no matter which jurisdiction has
authority.
Commissioners, however, are wondering if the county's fragmented 911
dispatch service, not a lack of ambulances, is partly to blame.
As a result, they say no ambulances will be added to the county's
contract with Rural/Metro until the panel finishes its review.
Commissioner Joyce Avery, one of the more vocal proponents of the
additional spending for ambulances, said the county has to first make sure
the 911 system is working well.
The proposal to add three more ambulances to the county fleet is
supposed to reduce the average response time of 12 minutes by at least two
minutes.
Six county vehicles currently cover the unincorporated areas and the
suburbs, except Bartlett, which has its own service.
The 911 panel plans to finish its work and make recommendations to
Wharton by March, said chairman Larry Papasan, former Memphis Light, Gas
and Water president.
Wharton said any findings or recommendations of the group will be taken
seriously.
Calls made to 911 now are mechanically routed to the sheriff or
appropriate municipal police dispatch centers, which then transfer
ambulance and fire calls to other agencies.
Papasan said he was initially struck by how much he did not understand
about the complicated nature of 911.
"It requires a lot of coordination between the city and the county, the
municipalities, the Police Department, the Fire Department and all the
other agencies," Papasan said. Copyright 2005, commercialappeal.com - Memphis, TN. All Rights Reserved.
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. . . Memphis council staffers get big raises Brown, Ford act on their own, cite rules By Jacinthia Jones Memphis City Council members Joe Brown (in his
final act as council chairman) and Edmund Ford (in his first act as
chairman-elect) approved hefty pay raises for council staff.
The two said they made the decision to grant the pay raises --
including a nearly $20,000-a-year salary increase for the council's
assistant administrator -- without informing their fellow council members.
They said council rules give the chairman authority to grant pay raises.
Herenton had announced moments earlier that his proposal two weeks ago
to promote two deputy directors at $160,000 a year was off the table.
Brown and Ford approved raises for the council's entire 11-member
staff. They boosted the annual salaries of council administrator Lisa
Geater from $87,420 to $99,999 and assistant administrator Pamela Crisplip
from $57,519 to $75,000.
The raises are on top of the 3 percent raises that they and other city
employees will receive in January.
Geater and Crisplip also got new titles, director and deputy director,
respectively. Four other staffers also got new titles.
Some council members questioned the increases. The money-strapped city
is considering layoffs and other cuts.
Ford said the pay hikes are simply an effort to bring council staff
salaries in line with their counterparts who work for the County
Commission. "I believe in rewarding people for good work."
Brown said the salary increases will be paid for from $150,000 in
"savings" from the council's budget this year. The pay raises will add
$87,000 a year to the council's staff payroll.
Council member Tom Marshall said the council needs to reconsider the
chairman's power to set salaries. "If there's any fault, it's that we have
permitted this as a time-honored tradition."
Council member Carol Chumney attempted Tuesday to call a meeting to
rescind the salaries. Brown, as chairman, squelched her attempts to
address the issue.
"I just want to go on record that I don't support this," she said.
--Jacinthia Jones: 529-2780
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Pay raises
Outgoing council chairman Joe Brown and incoming chairman Edmund Ford
approved pay raises for the staff on Dec. 15.
Lisa L. Geater, council director, from $87,420 to $99,999
Pamela W. Crisplip, council deputy director, from $57, 519 to $75,000
Juaness L. Keplinger, senior legislative coordinator, from $49,912 to
$65,000
Venita M. Walker, legislative coordinator, from $44,602 to $60,008
Danielle L. Spears, legislative coordinator, from $44,602 to $55,016
Sophia M. Wordlaw, special assistant to the chairman, from $42, 616 to
$46,500
May A. Hailey, administrative assistant, from $44,519 to $47,500
Pat Kelly Donaldson, administrative assistant, from $42,616 to $45,000
Sandra M. Rutherford, administrative assistant, from $42,616 to $45,000
Patricia E. Lewis, administrative assistant, from $42,616 to $45,000
Ann Thayer Gallaway, administrative assistant, from $42,616 to $45,000
Copyright 2004, commercialappeal.com - Memphis, TN. All Rights Reserved.
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