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Elgin secures ambulance services with letter of intent
City Council last week took the steps required to ensure that residents will have continued emergency medical services.
Council members unanimously approved Aug. 27 a letter of intent signed by City Manager Tom Mattis with Acadian Ambulance Service, Elgin’s current EMS provider through Bastrop County. This decision follows the council’s earlier choice to not place the Emergency Services District No. 3 item on the November ballot and acts as an added security measure while the council explores other options.
The letter of intent with Acadian is not a binding agreement but signifies the city’s commitment to negotiating a more formal contract for EMS services if needed, according to Mattis.
“A letter of intent is not a binding obligation on the part of either party,” he said. “It’s just an expression of interest in consummating a deal that would be followed up with an actual service agreement.”
Concerns had arisen in the community about whether ambulance services would continue after the council’s ongoing discussions, and the letter aims to address those fears.
“Because there have been some concerns expressed, and a little social media hysteria about whether or not people were going to be left without ambulance service, I felt it was appropriate to move forward with this letter of intent,” Mattis added.
The letter outlines plans to secure advanced life support for Elgin, with Acadian providing at least one 24/7 ground unit, which the city currently lacks, at a cost of about $1 million annually. A second ground unit would operate five days a week.
Mattis emphasized that improving EMS services will require additional funds, stating, “If we’re going to advance our EMS anywhere, it’s going to cost us money.”
This short-term agreement serves as a safeguard, allowing the city to execute a formal contract with Acadian if necessary, according to the report. The council is also considering longer- term options and has engaged with two private EMS providers, with more potentially interested. Mattis noted that once the city is prepared to entertain proposals for a two-to-three-year service agreement, it will likely secure a better price than the current 30-day renewable contract.
The letter of intent reassures the public that EMS coverage will continue at least at the current level, which has been in place for over eight years, according to Mattis. Should the council approve the contract, services could be in place within 30 days.
While working with Bastrop Travis ESD No. 1 was considered, it’s no longer a viable option, according to a representative who spoke during the meeting’s public comment section.
“We want to help, we just can’t,” Nickolas Teague said. “I know there’s been some history, but what I want to say is that we want to work with the city and be here to help in any way that we can.”
Teague noted that while ESD No. 1 has tripled the number of firefighters serving the community since May, it cannot provide ground ambulance transport services due to limitations in its mission statement and conflicts with the ESD No. 3 proposal.
The EMS professional also shared a personal account of his pregnant wife being involved in a hit-and-run accident, with Acadian Ambulance taking 25 minutes to arrive. He urged the council to seek competitive bids rather than relying solely on the cooperative process.
Looking ahead, the city has plans ready to construct an EMS facility on land it already owns near Elgin High School, with the potential to complete the building by the end of next year.
As the city moves forward, Mattis expressed confidence that the council will have a long-term plan in place before any emergency action is required.
“Worst case scenario, we have something to fall back on,” he said. “I’d hope that we have all the issues addressed and have a long-term plan in sight before we’d ever have to pull the trigger on this.”
