Friday, July 13, 2012
Officials agreed to evaluate the ambulance company's performance in six months.
After months of considering a switch in ambulance services, Verona Council decided to stick with the one it has. On Tuesday, officials agreed to give Guardian Angel Ambulance another shot, pending that officials receive monthly reports from the company. Discussion began a few months ago, after officials began to address criticism about the company's response time. Staff from Guardian Angel and Lower Valley Emergency Medical Services gave presentations to council over the last month. After hearing both presentations, many of the council members and borough officials said they were satisfied with Guardian Angel's explanation. Council President Dom Conte said he spoke with Mayor Dave Ricupero and police Chief Ron McLemore, who agreed that …
Monday, July 2, 2012
Sewer repairs, the Riverview Superintendent transition and computer updates were among the items discussed during a meeting on Tuesday, June 26.
Ambulance Co. Tells Verona It Shouldn’t Get Axed After hearing a presentation from Guardian Angel Ambulance staff, Verona Council is in the process of deciding whether or not it will retain the company’s service. Staff from Guardian Angel Ambulance spoke to council at a meeting Tuesday, addressing criticism about the company’s response time that led council to consider switching companies. Council brought in staff from Lower Valley Ambulance last month, and President Dom Conte said he expects a decision will come within a two- to three-week period. Read the full story here. Sewer Repair Order Causes Stink During Tuesday’s meeting, a resident sought repayment for tree removal she said resulted from a borough letter ordering her to repair …
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Criticized for slow response times, Guardian Angel shifts blame to county dispatchers.
After hearing a presentation from Guardian Angel Ambulance staff, Verona Council is in the process of deciding whether or not it will retain the company’s emergency services. Staff from Guardian Angel Ambulance spoke to council at a meeting Tuesday, addressing criticism about the company’s response time that led council to consider switching companies. Council brought in staff from Lower Valley Ambulance last month, and President Dom Conte said he expects a decision will come within a two- to three-week period. In the presentation and discussion that followed, staff said their response times average around four minutes. Guardian Angel President John McAfee blamed outlying incidents—such as a sluggish response to an incident this year …
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Among topics of discussion: blight, ambulance service and an ordinance regulating business signs.
Here's a roundup of items discussed at Verona Council's Workshop Meeting on Tuesday, May 29. Officials Seek Stricter Housing Code Enforcement Verona officials on Tuesday took several steps to increase housing code enforcement on negligent property owners. During a workshop meeting, council approved a measure allowing code enforcement officers to seek civil suits against landlords who haven’t paid fees for rental units. Officials also discussed pursuing legal action on owners of blighted, vacant properties. Read the full story here. Council Hears What Ambulance Company Offers After much debate over the efficiency of Guardian Angel Ambulance, council invited Lower Valley Ambulance to speak at its meeting. Council is considering a switch to …
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Council members are weighing whether to switch ambulance companies after multiple complaints.
Verona Council voted to assess a change in ambulance services Tuesday evening, signaling a new phase in an ongoing debate over the effectiveness of its current provider. While the switch hasn’t been approved, council will invite a representative from Lower Valley Ambulance to speak about its services at a public hearing at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 29. Over the past few months, debate has intensified over the effectiveness of the current provider, Guardian Angel, with residents and council members saying its ambulances frequently arrive late. The vote was 5-1, with council member Peggy Suchevich dissenting. Tony Futules abstained. Councilmember Sandra Drabicki-Bell ignited the discussion when she told of a recent incident involving her …
Monday, February 6, 2012
Among items officials discussed were county reassessments, rental unit fees, problems with an ambulance company and borough property sold on the cheap.
Here is a roundup of key points discussed at the Verona Borough Council workshop meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 31. Officials Oppose Reassessment In a unanimous vote, Verona council members passed a resolution opposing county-wide property reassessments, calling for a moratorium and legislation that would implement uniform, state-wide practices. Anecdotally, officials said many property owners in Verona have received lower assessments. Mayor David Ricupero noted instances where the value of a house increased, but the property value decreased. “That is nothing but a big mess,” Ricupero said. President Dom Conte said officials haven’t yet discussed what follow-up actions to take in urging an end to the reassessments. For now, Councilman Tony …
Sammie
11:31 pm on Thursday, June 28, 2012
Funny how no other ambulance service tries to put blame on county dispatch. Verona's council should be ashamed of themselves for even allowing Guardian Angle to provide service to their town this long. Anyone with a scanner can listen to the dispatch and hear they don't answer on the initial dispatch in an appropriate time; 98% of the time mutual aid is called because Guardian passes it off or … more ›