Finance Board to Send Letter to Durham Ambulance Corps

Facing ongoing budget pressure town officials in Durham plan to take a closer look at how several departments spend their money.

First Selectman Laura Francis said Monday the town's finance board planned to send a letter this week requesting financial information from the Durham Volunteer Ambulance Corps Inc., Durham Volunteer Fire Department, Durham Public Library and the Durham Middlefield Interlocal Agreement Advisory Board (DMIAAB).

The move, in part, is due to the previous refusal by the ambulance corps to release its financial documents to the town.

Patch that for the past several years the department had received about $36,000 annually from the town but refused to divulge financial documents.

At the time, Francis said the information would help the town determine whether the ambulance corps had enough money on hand to help defray some of its own costs, therefore reducing the burden on taxpayers.

Ambulance chief Thomas Wimler said his agency hadn't released the information because it hadn't received a formal request from the town.

At Monday's Board of Selectmen meeting resident Rick Parmelee said he welcomed the additional scrutiny.

"I find [the ambulance corps'] actions totally unacceptable and I'll tell them so when I see them," he said.

All four groups receive money considered "outside" revenue, such as donations or payments for services provided, according to Francis.

"It's any accounts that are not within the umbrella of the town," she said.