Sullivan City cuts La Joya EMS contract, taps Palmview

Sullivan City terminated an emergency services agreement with the city of La Joya in favor of one with the city of Palmview earlier this month.

 

City Manager Richard Ozuna told Sullivan City Council at its August 19 meeting that switching to Palmview would reflect a savings for the city.

 

“The benefit is they are less than La Joya. They’ll be charging us $10,000 a month. We’ll be saving per year just about $4,800,” he said.

 

 

Significantly, Ozuna said, he predicts Palmview’s EMS will better serve Sullivan than La Joya’s does.

 

“The most important thing is they will provide an ambulance to our city three days out of the week, eight hours a day, housed at our fire department,” he said. “Which is closer to our residents here in Sullivan City. I know it’s three [days], but it’s a lot better than we currently have.”

 

Sullivan City contracted with La Joya for emergency medical service in May of 2024.

 

That contract was supposed to remain in effect through May of next year and be renewable annually for three more years.

 

Sullivan agreed to pay a base fee of $9,700 a month in that contract “based on the annual Consumer Price Index.”

 

Sullivan had to give La Joya 90 days’ notice before the termination of the contract and some on council expressed concern about a gap in service during the change.

 

 

Ozuna noted Palmview already serves as a backup EMS provider for La Joya and said he was confident, they’d fill any transition gap.

 

Councilman Isaac Sulemana, who serves as the city of La Joya’s attorney, abstained from discussing or voting on that city’s contract.