WASHINGTON CO. COMMISSIONERS TO CONSIDER FUEL SYSTEM FOR EMS HANGAR
A fuel system for the Washington County EMS helicopter hangar behind the Washington Volunteer Fire Department will be considered by county commissioners on Monday.
According to EMS Director Kevin Deramus, the hangar has been receiving fuel via a 500 gallon trailer. To increase the amount of fuel on hand before needing to resupply, and to be able to purchase fuel using less expensive bulk rates, he is looking to implement a 2,000 gallon fuel system that more or less acts as “a gas station at the hangar.”
Deramus said the project is $41,000 and meets the guidelines to be funded through the American Rescue Plan Act.
In other action, commissioners will look to approve a contract with W-Industries for the generator project at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
Also in court Monday, commissioners will consider:
- Proclamations to declare October 27th as Think Pink Thursday and the month of October as Polish Heritage Month.
- Approving the county engineer to advertise for sealed bids for the removal of salvaged bridge material from the job site and yard stockpile.
- Renewal of the Washington CountyChoice Silver retiree health program through Texas Association of Counties Health and Employee Benefits Pool with the addition of Medicare Advantage Plan 1 and Manage My Health. All monthly premiums will be paid by the retiree.
- A resolution for the 2023 Washington County Indigent Defense Grant Program.
- Authorizing procurement of administrative and engineering services for the Community Development Block Grant Regional COG Method of Distribution administered through the Texas General Land Office.
- A final plat for Sunset Hills Estate, a residential development of 94.377 acres consisting of 34 lots and two reserves with three roads in Precinct 2 off of FM 2447.
- A final plat for Section 1 of Hill Creek Ridge, a residential development of 32.975 acres consisting of 10 lots and one reserve with one road in Precinct 1 off of FM 1155.
- A contract for professional services between the county and Allison, Bass & Magee LLP.
- Subdivision variance requests for land divisions fronting Wellmann Road in Precinct 1 and Pawlak Lane in Precinct 2.
- A formal notice from Magnolia Oil & Gas Operating, LLC for a 12-inch temporary fresh water line for a six-month duration within the right of way of Upshaw Road, Haupstrasse Road, Koether Road, Moye Road and Bascome Lane in Precinct 4.
- A formal notice from Magnolia Oil & Gas Operating, LLC for a 12-inch lay-flat rubber water transfer line for a four-month duration within the right of way of Raymond Lehmann Lane in Precinct 4.
Commissioners will meet Monday at 9 a.m. at the Washington County Courthouse.
I hope the commissioners vote no. Come on…why do people working for the government think money grows on trees? The rest of us have to earn our money by working hard and making profits…not by convincing other government officials to fork over tax payers hard earned money.
Why don’t WCC just give Kevin Deramus a checkbook of his own to spend our hard earned tax dollars more pie in the sky politics from our hogged out EMS it’s a bargain only 41 grand and won’t cost us a dime it’s free.Get him and his air ambulance out of our pockets. Ground service emergency transport one tenth the cost stop wasting our tax dollars. Political jokes are usually pretty funny till they get elected.
VOTE THEM OUT!
I tend to be very conservative and do not like wasting money. I will also be the first to say that the politics of the EMS service is not something I have spent much time reviewing nor do I know Mr. Deramus. However, from my few experiences with the Washington County EMS, we have a top notch ambulance service that exceeds anything like what most counties our size seem to have. The helicopter has given our citizens access to advanced and specialized medical care much faster than it would normally be available waiting on a chopper from the city to show up. It also makes better financial sense for the LOCAL patients being transported than the use of other air ambulance services while costing the tax payers very little. As I read this article, the idea of a larger fuel storage system seems like a good business move. I am not sure why the critical comments are being made or what caused someone to have this viewpoint, but I can say that I support our high quality EMS and hope they continue to provide the great service they offer our citizens.
Kevin Deramus is a Paramedic and has a salary almost at the top of Washington County’s highest paid its six figure plus. Do not take Doctor material smarts to be one yet makes a Doctor’s salary. He is not elected and so we can’t vote him out. Air ambulance is very expensive ten times or more the cost of ground service. We do not have the population or an interstate highway to justify this added expense. Sure it’s nice to have but the air ambulance is like a taxi cab the meter us always running even if it’s not moving. I want to see the cost per hour verses ground service.