A public hearing has been scheduled for the Warren City Council to receive comment on the proposed expansion of an emergency medical services pilot program with Pleasant Township.

At the August meeting, council agreed to an arrangement that would place two City of Warren EMTs at the Pleasant VFD to respond to calls in Pleasant on Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the day. It’s a pilot agreement for data-gathering purposes through the end of the year.

Pleasant since asked the city to clover Tuesdays and Thursdays as well.

For Sept. 1 through Dec. 31 at three days per week, the arrangement generates $21,632 in revenue for the city, $64,896 extrapolated for the entire year. An increase to five days per week would generate $108,160 per year, just less than one mill of city taxes

The current three-day-per-week agreement is a pilot program through the end of the year,

Councilman John Wortman said at September’s meeting that the city’s system “as it has been constructed for decades is under assault.”

He said the agreement “decreased the number of resources we possess within our jurisdiction.”

He then made a motion to table action on the expansion of the existing agreement.

“I feel that we need to give the City of Warren residents an opportunity or public meeting or hearing to give them a say on this issue,” he said, suggesting that many are not aware.

That public hearing has been scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15 at the Struthers Library Theatre.

“I believe what will occur is that (Fire) Chief (Rodney) Wren will explain the current EMS shortfalls in the county and then the agreement with Pleasant and how that agreement benefits both the city and the county,” she said. “I think that he will also explain the request to cover 5 days instead of the current 3 and a plan to hire more (firefighters and EMTs) if other municipalities would like the City to supplement their volunteer staffs.

Hotel meeting canceled

City staff had indicated that an Oct. 12 public meeting was being planned to discuss the hotel project.

“As a result of the executive session,” Freenock said, that was held just over a week ago, “we realized that the project is not in a position to move forward at this time.”

She said it’s her “hope” that a public hearing may be able to be held within the next month.