New Ambulance service in Paulding?

[steelhorse867]

I recently heard that Clark Ambulance is going out of business .... Has anyone else heard about this? If it is true, who will take over?

[tbird]

Nice first post.

[vslade]

I believe Metro is running his ambulance service at the time being, but I don't think he has sold out yet.

[NewsJunky]

Puckett is around too.

[lucky64]

Nice first post.

 

 

They just asked question and want to know who is going to be the new ambulance service here in Paulding. I'm sure they don't have an agenda. Just welcome the new poster to Paulding.com.

[tbird]

They just asked question and want to know who is going to be the new ambulance service here in Paulding. I'm sure they don't have an agenda. Just welcome the new poster to Paulding.com.

 

 

Just seems a little odd to be the first post and it be almost a trouble making post. Since the last guy that was posting all the trash about Clark's got ragged on so much, would not surprise me at all for him to change his name or have a buddy start it all over again.

 

If the post was not meant to stir trouble, I sincerely apologize.

 

If it is meant to stir the pot--then shame on them.

[lowrider]

Anybody that post negatively about Sam Clark has an agenda.

 

Here we go again

 

Just seems a little odd to be the first post and it be almost a trouble making post. Since the last guy that was posting all the trash about Clark's got ragged on so much, would not surprise me at all for him to change his name or have a buddy start it all over again.

 

If the post was not meant to stir trouble, I sincerely apologize.

 

If it is meant to stir the pot--then shame on them.

 

That's what I was thinking. New name, same story.

[steelhorse867]

Sorry Icon ... didnt mean to offend. I had a family memeber transported by Clark ambulance and have no complaint. One of their employees told me that. I am new to Paulding and someone told me this was the forum to get some REAL answers!

[lucky64]

Just seems a little odd to be the first post and it be almost a trouble making post. Since the last guy that was posting all the trash about Clark's got ragged on so much, would not surprise me at all for him to change his name or have a buddy start it all over again.

 

If the post was not meant to stir trouble, I sincerely apologize.

 

If it is meant to stir the pot--then shame on them.

 

 

Just be the better person and give the benefit of the doubt. We (and what I mean by that, the people on this board) won't fall for it, if that is the case and it turns out to be. We'll just ignore this thread.

 

In the mean time, just welcome a new poster and just answer the question to the best of our ability. PEACE!

[lucky64]

Sorry Icon ... didnt mean to offend. I had a family memeber transported by Clark ambulance and have no complaint. One of their employees told me that. I am new to Paulding and someone told me this was the forum to get some REAL answers!

 

 

Welcome Steelhorse, I'm unable to answer your question, but others where able to. On another note, you can find news about Paulding here, weather, and new from all over here. There are a bunch of good people on here that would love to help you get around and learn the board.

[steelhorse867]

Thanks Lucky64 ... will be glad to delete my thread. I dont want to start trouble. I just think this is a very important topic for Paulding citizens ... and I cant seem to get any answers from the County. I dont know if they just dont know or they dont want to get involved.

 

Just concerned.

[its mr sarcastic to you]

1378511898[/url]' post='3837434']

Sorry Icon ... didnt mean to offend. I had a family memeber transported by Clark ambulance and have no complaint. One of their employees told me that. I am new to Paulding and someone told me this was the forum to get some REAL answers!

 

I am thinking if an actual employee told you then I am confused why you thought it wasn't the real answer...

[steelhorse867]

I am thinking if an actual employee told you then I am confused why you thought it wasn't the real answer...

 

Because the employee couldnt tell me who was taking over ... so are you saying it is true that Clark is going out of business?

[bored]

This rumor gets spread about every 6 months.

 

I would not be surprised if they did not eventually close tho.

 

The same for Kmart.....we have heard for years that they were closing, eventually they will.

[its mr sarcastic to you]

1378513899[/url]' post='3837442']

Because the employee couldnt tell me who was taking over ... so are you saying it is true that Clark is going out of business?

I have no idea, I just know normally if I hear things from an employee or third party/message board I would probably believe the employee. P.com is like the Enquirer, a hint of truth is there but expect the story to come out like the whisper game where it changes a little each time it's told! Oh and welcome to p.com, watch our for the crazy ones like Lucky.

 

 

[dawneykids]

This rumor gets spread about every 6 months.

 

I would not be surprised if they did not eventually close tho.

 

The same for Kmart.....we have heard for years that they were closing, eventually they will.

I have no idea how Kmart stays in business. They missed a great opportunity when Sears bought them and they started selling Kenmore appliances, but for whatever reason, they never marketed it in any big way. Then, 6 months later Sears opened an appliance store right across the street. WTH?!?!?

[rockysmom]

I have no idea, I just know normally if I hear things from an employee or third party/message board I would probably believe the employee. P.com is like the Enquirer, a hint of truth is there but expect the story to come out like the whisper game where it changes a little each time it's told! Oh and welcome to p.com, watch our for the crazy ones like Lucky.

To the OP: And be very, very careful of Lowrider.....she's a real nut job.

[steelhorse867]

Well... if they do close then will the county have the responsibility for running the ambulances? I hear that Sam Clark has been a well respected member of the community and I have no reason to believe he is not. I know that in the county where I moved from, they were responsible for running the ambulances. I guess that could be the case here.

[lowrider]

To the OP: And be very, very careful of Lowrider.....she's a real nut job.

 

 

Imma gonna git you girl!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, and I cuss you every time I can't get past a level on CANDY CRUSH! SWEET!!

[rockysmom]

Imma gonna git you girl!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, and I cuss you every time I can't get past a level on CANDY CRUSH! SWEET!!

Candy crush? What's that?

 

[lucky64]

Well... if they do close then will the county have the responsibility for running the ambulances? I hear that Sam Clark has been a well respected member of the community and I have no reason to believe he is not. I know that in the county where I moved from, they were responsible for running the ambulances. I guess that could be the case here.

 

Basically, the most important thing here is, you know who will show up in case of an emergency. Pucketts, Bensons (I don't know if they are still running thou), Clark (as they are still running), and the other one that someone mentioned. So, the bottom line right now is, we don't know if or when Clark is closing down the part of his ambulance service. So, I guess, your question has been answered. Have a wonderful night!

[LPPT]

Metro will be serving Paulding. I don't know that Clark is going out of business.

[FreeBird]

The first of August I was told by a Clark employee that the was an agreement to sell out to Metro (who is currently running the business operations.)

[lucky64]

I have no idea, I just know normally if I hear things from an employee or third party/message board I would probably believe the employee. P.com is like the Enquirer, a hint of truth is there but expect the story to come out like the whisper game where it changes a little each time it's told! Oh and welcome to p.com, watch our for the crazy ones like Lucky.

 

 

 

Yes, crazy enough for life, and crazy enough to live it!

[steelhorse867]

LOL ... goodnight Lucky! Thanks LPPT and FREEBIRD ... I actually saw a Metro Ambulance in Dallas the other day. I guess that explains why.

[gpatt0n]

Thanks Lucky64 ... will be glad to delete my thread. I dont want to start trouble. I just think this is a very important topic for Paulding citizens ... and I cant seem to get any answers from the County. I dont know if they just dont know or they dont want to get involved.

 

Just concerned.

 

 

It is an important topic and there is something going on. For instance, Puckett hosted the Chamber Public Service luncheon. I had been fed some rumors several months ago regarding Clarks future and ... in regard to Clark's future in Paulding, it is relatively well known that he's become crossways with the Austin brothers (Commission Chair and Dallas Mayor.) If memory serves, Sam backed the person challenging David Austin in the 2012 primary ... and David won re-election.

 

I figure the reason that Sam backed Austin's opponent is that Austin had probably told Sam that his days were numbered so Sam had little to lose.

 

The county, which had gone through some tough times financially cutting budgets, etc. had a legacy deal with Clark's ambulance that provided it assistance and the long and short was the county was unhappy about that and sought to curtail the subsidy.

 

To Sam's credit, the deal he did with the county was, what the Chinese would call, inscrutable and difficult to decipher. He and the county have been going round and round literally for years.

 

The local politicians, because they typically provide a subsidy to the private ambulance service, like to control the money they spend and prefer to spend it with their friends as a general rule. For instance, we know that there was an effort to separate Sam from the service during the eight years of the Shearin administration. Now we're in the sixth year of an Austin administration and predictably, there is another effort to move that chunk of county business to a 'friend' as opposed to the guy who's been doing it. To start an analogy, there was a political card game then and Sam won.

 

Heck, the ambulance service before Clark's was solid as could be until there was a federal case involving improper charges to medicare or medicaid that cost them the business and opened the door for Clarks.

 

Bottom line ... it is difficult to fight city hall and politics has always been a case of rewarding friends and punishing 'enemies.'

 

Now I've known Sam for decades and we've talked off the record ... must be eight to ten months ago and he acknowledged there was a conflict but he didn't want to talk about it publicly.

 

I assured him if he wanted to go on the record he could call on me. He hasn't called so I figure he is negotiating as best he can and more conversation about it may be hurtful to his position.

 

I've also heard - second hand of course - about the Metro involvement with Clarks ambulance but really can't confirm it or deny it.

 

I do sense that the local powers that be are leaning toward Puckett's (as opposed to Metro) and lacking a criminal investigation - yes there was a rumor - Clarks or Clarks+Metro do have the region one assignment for Paulding. The decision of which company has the assignment is lodged in the Dept. Health region out of Rome and the commissioner and Mayor are not the direct decision makers.

 

What you're hearing about are behind the scenes reports by people who may or may not have the complete story. I certainly don't have the complete story and I don't know that any one of the protagonists in this drama actually have the complete story. However, the real danger is you might confuse the real story with the story coming from one side or another and in fact, there may be three sides in play.

 

It may help to think of this as a game of seven card stud. The business is the pot and all the players would like to win the pot. The last card may have been played face down and the betting is getting intense even though the cards showing don't appear to be winning hands - none of them.

 

And, to top it off, none of the players are sharing their hole cards with us bystanders.

 

All we know is that they would all like the opportunity to serve the people of Paulding. They've been dealt a hand; they're playing the hand dealt and one will win. That's the way I see it, anyway.

 

pubby

[lucky64]

It is an important topic and there is something going on. For instance, Puckett hosted the Chamber Public Service luncheon. I had been fed some rumors several months ago regarding Clarks future and ... in regard to Clark's future in Paulding, it is relatively well known that he's become crossways with the Austin brothers (Commission Chair and Dallas Mayor.) If memory serves, Sam backed the person challenging David Austin in the 2012 primary ... and David won re-election.

 

I figure the reason that Sam backed Austin's opponent is that Austin had probably told Sam that his days were numbered so Sam had little to lose.

 

The county, which had gone through some tough times financially cutting budgets, etc. had a legacy deal with Clark's ambulance that provided it assistance and the long and short was the county was unhappy about that and sought to curtail the subsidy.

 

To Sam's credit, the deal he did with the county was, what the Chinese would call, inscrutable and difficult to decipher. He and the county have been going round and round literally for years.

 

The local politicians, because they typically provide a subsidy to the private ambulance service, like to control the money they spend and prefer to spend it with their friends as a general rule. For instance, we know that there was an effort to separate Sam from the service during the eight years of the Shearin administration. Now we're in the sixth year of an Austin administration and predictably, there is another effort to move that chunk of county business to a 'friend' as opposed to the guy who's been doing it. To start an analogy, there was a political card game then and Sam won.

 

Heck, the ambulance service before Clark's was solid as could be until there was a federal case involving improper charges to medicare or medicaid that cost them the business and opened the door for Clarks.

 

Bottom line ... it is difficult to fight city hall and politics has always been a case of rewarding friends and punishing 'enemies.'

 

Now I've known Sam for decades and we've talked off the record ... must be eight to ten months ago and he acknowledged there was a conflict but he didn't want to talk about it publicly.

 

I assured him if he wanted to go on the record he could call on me. He hasn't called so I figure he is negotiating as best he can and more conversation about it may be hurtful to his position.

 

I've also heard - second hand of course - about the Metro involvement with Clarks ambulance but really can't confirm it or deny it.

 

I do sense that the local powers that be are leaning toward Puckett's (as opposed to Metro) and lacking a criminal investigation - yes there was a rumor - Clarks or Clarks+Metro do have the region one assignment for Paulding. The decision of which company has the assignment is lodged in the Dept. Health region out of Rome and the commissioner and Mayor are not the direct decision makers.

 

What you're hearing about are behind the scenes reports by people who may or may not have the complete story. I certainly don't have the complete story and I don't know that any one of the protagonists in this drama actually have the complete story. However, the real danger is you might confuse the real story with the story coming from one side or another and in fact, there may be three sides in play.

 

It may help to think of this as a game of seven card stud. The business is the pot and all the players would like to win the pot. The last card may have been played face down and the betting is getting intense even though the cards showing don't appear to be winning hands - none of them.

 

And, to top it off, none of the players are sharing their hole cards with us bystanders.

 

All we know is that they would all like the opportunity to serve the people of Paulding. They've been dealt a hand; they're playing the hand dealt and one will win. That's the way I see it, anyway.

 

pubby

 

And that would be Benson and correct what I wrote in a previous post. I knew he had an ambulance service back in the 80's but wasn't sure if he did now, since I don't pay attention on whom has one and who doesn't. Well, other than Clark. I do however, remember the medicare/medicaid situation. But I lived in another State at the time when all that went down.

[rockysmom]

Pubby, this is the way I see it. Forget the local politics. Forget all the chatter. Do the job and do it well and forget the drama.

[rawhide]

Metro will be serving Paulding. I don't know that Clark is going out of business.

 

Sam is only selling the ambulance portion of his business. He will continue to operate the funeral home as he does now. Metro Ambulance has bought the ambulance service. The ambulance service has been losing money for quiet a while.

[steelhorse867]

Thanks Pubby ... you seemed well versed in whats going on. That is why I came here. I know this is a "touchy" subject for many people, but a crucial one because we are talking about the lives of Paulding citizens. This is not some dispute over a building contract or road construction. This decision literally could be the difference between your life or death ... not trying to be overdramatic.

 

I just think that it is alarming that there has not been any public ackowledgment that this is going on. There in nothing in the paper, on Channel 23 or mention at the commissioners meetings. You would think that the citizens would have the ability to vote on who responds to their familes emergency needs. I have never been one to get involved in politics .... you see the state our nation is in because of less than desirable politicians. I just dont want Paulding to be that way. But what I can gather by your response ... the "Good Ole Boy" system lives on in Paulding.

 

Why dont the citizens have a choice? Is'nt it ultimately the tax payers money that is funding any subsidy to the ambulance provider? My ultimate desire is to see what is best for Paulding County .... whether that be ABC ambulance, Pucketts or Metro. Heck ... why not have two ambulance providers for the county? Seems like a little healthy competition would keep things on a level playing field.

 

Thanks again Pubby.... I have a feeling there is no easy resolution in sight.

[steelhorse867]

Sam is only selling the ambulance portion of his business. He will continue to operate the funeral home as he does now. Metro Ambulance has bought the ambulance service. The ambulance service has been losing money for quiet a while.

 

 

So ... if Metro bought Clark Ambulance ... does that mean they automatically get to be the new ambulance provider?

[Tahoe]

It is an important topic and there is something going on. For instance, Puckett hosted the Chamber Public Service luncheon. I had been fed some rumors several months ago regarding Clarks future and ... in regard to Clark's future in Paulding, it is relatively well known that he's become crossways with the Austin brothers (Commission Chair and Dallas Mayor.) If memory serves, Sam backed the person challenging David Austin in the 2012 primary ... and David won re-election.

 

I figure the reason that Sam backed Austin's opponent is that Austin had probably told Sam that his days were numbered so Sam had little to lose.

 

The county, which had gone through some tough times financially cutting budgets, etc. had a legacy deal with Clark's ambulance that provided it assistance and the long and short was the county was unhappy about that and sought to curtail the subsidy.

 

To Sam's credit, the deal he did with the county was, what the Chinese would call, inscrutable and difficult to decipher. He and the county have been going round and round literally for years.

 

The local politicians, because they typically provide a subsidy to the private ambulance service, like to control the money they spend and prefer to spend it with their friends as a general rule. For instance, we know that there was an effort to separate Sam from the service during the eight years of the Shearin administration. Now we're in the sixth year of an Austin administration and predictably, there is another effort to move that chunk of county business to a 'friend' as opposed to the guy who's been doing it. To start an analogy, there was a political card game then and Sam won.

 

Heck, the ambulance service before Clark's was solid as could be until there was a federal case involving improper charges to medicare or medicaid that cost them the business and opened the door for Clarks.

 

Bottom line ... it is difficult to fight city hall and politics has always been a case of rewarding friends and punishing 'enemies.'

 

Now I've known Sam for decades and we've talked off the record ... must be eight to ten months ago and he acknowledged there was a conflict but he didn't want to talk about it publicly.

 

I assured him if he wanted to go on the record he could call on me. He hasn't called so I figure he is negotiating as best he can and more conversation about it may be hurtful to his position.

 

I've also heard - second hand of course - about the Metro involvement with Clarks ambulance but really can't confirm it or deny it.

 

I do sense that the local powers that be are leaning toward Puckett's (as opposed to Metro) and lacking a criminal investigation - yes there was a rumor - Clarks or Clarks+Metro do have the region one assignment for Paulding. The decision of which company has the assignment is lodged in the Dept. Health region out of Rome and the commissioner and Mayor are not the direct decision makers.

 

What you're hearing about are behind the scenes reports by people who may or may not have the complete story. I certainly don't have the complete story and I don't know that any one of the protagonists in this drama actually have the complete story. However, the real danger is you might confuse the real story with the story coming from one side or another and in fact, there may be three sides in play.

 

It may help to think of this as a game of seven card stud. The business is the pot and all the players would like to win the pot. The last card may have been played face down and the betting is getting intense even though the cards showing don't appear to be winning hands - none of them.

 

And, to top it off, none of the players are sharing their hole cards with us bystanders.

 

All we know is that they would all like the opportunity to serve the people of Paulding. They've been dealt a hand; they're playing the hand dealt and one will win. That's the way I see it, anyway.

 

pubby

 

 

HuH???? You write to much when you post and I am like "SQUIRREL" when I read it

[dawneykids]

Bottom line for me; if I need an ambulance, call 911 and a reliable, capable, prompt service shows up at my house to help, that's all I care about.

[FreeBird]

The issue has always been, to me, the "prompt service" that you state is important to you. I live in the NE portion of the county and prompt has never been used in the same sentence when requesting an ambulance. Only based on my own, personal experiences as well as backed up with response data provided by the state. It will be my hope that the new service reallocates resources to provide better service for my area and decrease overall response times for the entire county.

[LPPT]

I like Sam, he is a good man and has served the county well.

Change never comes without some pain.

I hope he can find peace and prosperity with less on his plate.

[its mr sarcastic to you]

HuH???? You write to much when you post and I am like "SQUIRREL" when I read it

x2

[lowrider]

X10

[LPPT]

HuH???? You write to much when you post and I am like "SQUIRREL" when I read it

 

It made perfect sense to me and to some others that read it, that is all I am going to say on the matter

[gpatt0n]

So ... if Metro bought Clark Ambulance ... does that mean they automatically get to be the new ambulance provider?

 

That would be the $64,000 question, now wouldn't it.

 

pubby

[noahsdad]

The contract comes up I do believe October 15th or there about and all companies wishing to can bid for the job. The way it should be done, whoever gets the bid is the new provider. End of story. Not up to the county or any of your local politics all controlled by the board out of Rome.