September 20, 2023 |
Photo – MHCC Ambulance – Bigfoot99 file photo
County commissioners voted to skip the state required bidding process for a new ambulance at the hospital in Rawlins.
Following the December crash that killed EMT Tyeler Harris and seriously injured EMT Tiffany Gruetzmacher, Memorial Hosptial of Carbon County is down to three ambulances. One of the ambulances isn’t mechanically sound and is used primarily to transport stable patients to other facilities. The hospital is left with two available emergency response vehicles.
During yesterday’s Board of Carbon County Commissioner’s meeting, County Clerk Gwen Bartlett said Memorial Hospital has applied for a federal grant to purchase a new ambulance. Clerk Bartlett said the grant may allow a way to receive the ambulance faster.
For large purchases, the county is required by state law to request bids from different suppliers. The county is then required to take the lowest priced offer. Clerk Bartlett said the ARPA grant allows the county to skip the bidding process if the procedure exacerbates a public emergency.
Clerk Bartlett said despite having an ambulance on order for months, MHCC is unlikely to receive a replacement vehicle for close to a year. If the hospital was required to undertake the standard bidding process, Barlett said MHCC would lose its place in line, adding another year and a half to the wait. The county clerk said she asked County Attorney Ashley Davis to investigate if the bidding process can be skipped.
Attorney Davis said the law requires there to be an imminent public need to pass over the bidding process. The county attorney said it is her legal opinion that a need exists. Attorney Davis suggested moving forward with the process after the hospital’s board of directors gives their approval.
Attorney Davis said she is consulting with two state representatives to ensure the process doesn’t violate the law. The county attorney described the situation as urgent, saying the hospital needs a new ambulance as soon as possible.
Commission Chairwoman Sue Jones asked if the board needed to decide immediately. Clerk Bartlett said the sooner the better. The county clerk said if the state denies the request to skip the bidding process, the motion will be invalidated.
The board voted to allow Memorial Hospital of Carbon County to forgo the typical bid request procedure, with the stipulation that the state does not object.
