Phantom door gets a fix

With a fix in mind for the phantom door, the City of Sundance is ready to move forward with renewing its contract with the Crook County Medical Services District (CCMSD) for ambulance space in the fire hall.

The council told EMS Coordinator Anthony Vopat last month that two issues needed to be solved before this could happen. According to Mayor Paul Brooks, the bay door was being left open and the thermostat was being turned up to 70 degrees.

Both these things are costly, said the mayor.

Vopat, however, had no knowledge of who had been fiddling with the thermostat and said CCMSD staff were equally confused by the open door. At one point, he said, he’d thought the sun might be hitting a sensor; he told the council he had instructed his team to be extra vigilant.

Since the issue was raised, Vopat said on Tuesday, the ambulance crew has been working to be “good tenants and neighbors” and has been using the side door.

The council shared the proposed solution that has been found.

According to Public Works Director Mac Erickson, the ambulance crew will now have access to a walkthrough door on the north side, which means they will no longer need to enter and exit via the bay door to do their daily equipment checks.

In addition, Erickson said he had met with Blakeman Propane and a separate propane tank will be installed for the ambulance side of the building.

Mayor Pro Tem Joe Wilson stated that he had spoken with Erickson, Fire Chief Gari Gill and CCMSD CEO Micki Lyons and, bearing in mind that the propane bill comes out of the fire department’s budget, he’d come to the conclusion that separate propane tanks would likely prevent any future animosity between the two entities sharing the fire hall.

“To me, it seems like the easiest thing to do is for you guys to have your own gas,” he said. That way, if the door does get left open or the thermostat is turned up, it’s not on the fire department’s dime.

Plus, he added, it also caters to each side needing different temperatures for the equipment.

Meanwhile, said Erickson, the ambulance crew having their own door means that the liability for not closing it is their own.

Vopat asked whether this decision will affect the rent paid by CCMSD for the space, as it was originally set to include utilities.

City Attorney Mark Hughes stated that the new contract has been sent to CCMSD’s attorney, Kara Ellsbury, and the details will be discussed between them as the legal representation for the two entities.