Open or shut

A small issue with a phantom door needs to be resolved before the City of Sundance renews the contract with Crook County Medical Services District to house its ambulances in the fire hall.

“Your folks like to leave the door open,” Mayor Paul Brooks told Anthony Vopat, EMS Coordinator.

“We’re having some problems with this and the public sees it.”

With the bay door open, it costs too much to keep the building heated, the mayor said, especially as someone had been turning the thermostat up to 70 degrees.

However, according to Vopat, the open door is something of a mystery.

Vopat said it had been happening for a couple of months now and he has been, “Coming down hard on my team to make sure everyone is extra vigilant” when performing daily checks on the equipment.

For a while, Vopat said he thought that perhaps the sun was hitting a sensor.

Vopat also said that he was unaware of anyone tampering with the thermostat and said that was “not acceptable.” While the ambulances do need to be kept at a certain temperature, he said, “That’s not living in Florida.”

Brooks was firm that the issue must be resolved, commenting that, “I want to do you guys right but I’ve got to tell you: there’s a lot of people who have my phone number.”

Public Works Director Mac Erickson suggested that the easiest solution would be a better access point for the ambulance crew. There’s no need to come in through the bay door for a daily check, he pointed out.

“We’re going to look into that,” agreed Brooks.

Vopat agreed that the cost of heating the building is an issue and noted that the open door is also a security risk. The ambulance crew does want those doors closed, he said, and the problem has been noted and addressed, but perhaps there are things that can be done to better address them.

With the contract due next month, Erickson and City Attorney Mark Hughes will get to work on the contract and door issue and bring it to the council next month.