http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kcur/local-kcur-858656.mp3
Kansas City, Mo. – The Kansas City Council is due to vote an ordinance on city takeover of the MAST ambulance service as a completely separate department. The Council's Public Safety Committee has endorsed the move.
While the city manager's office estimates consolidation will save the service more than a million dollars a year, and the council had already voted to start the transition, sponsor John Sharp of the council concedes not everyone will be pleased, " now we've adopted this recommendation, we've said we're going to create MAST as a stand alone department but there are a lot of rumors out there, there's a lot of misinformation."
Opponents say they doubt the city is capable of smoothly running an ambulance service. Budget officer Troy Shulte told the Public Safety and Neighborhoods Committee consolidation will save more than a million dollars a year in insurance costs, payroll and at least a hundred fifty thousand dollars in technology and communications expenses. Passing the ordinance next week would stamp the measure with legal legitimacy, that MAST will be its own department.