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CERTIFICATE OF PUB LIC The Mayor opened the public hearing <br />CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY on the application filed by Care <br /> Convalescent Ambulance, Stanton, to <br />operate one ambulance within the City of Santa Ana. <br /> <br />Mr. Elroy Giddons, Attorney, 505 Commonwealth, Fullerton, spoke on behalf of <br />Mr. Carl J. Richardson who operates Care Convalescent Ambulance. He stated that <br />Mr. Richardson has been in business for three years in cities surrounding Santa Ana; <br />that he has a good financial statement; that he operates two units, has a State License, <br />and employs four people; that his business is comprised mostly of Medicare and <br />Medi-Cal,patients and that it sometimes takes as long as six months to receive pay- <br />ment for these services; that other ambulance companies do not like this type of <br />business because of the slow payment; that he is not interested in police calls; that <br />he has a license to operate in Stanton, Garden Grove, Fullerton, and Los Alamitos, <br />and is able to bring patients to Santa Aha hospitals, but cannot return to pick them up <br />when they are ready to go home, andhe cannot come to Santa Ana-to pick up patients <br />who wish to go to the cities where he is licensed. <br /> <br />Mr. Joseph T. Klein of Mission Ambulance Service spoke in favor o£ granting the <br />application. He stated there is a need for this type of service in Santa Ana; that <br />some of the ambulance services in the city are interested primarily in emergency <br />work and it is not economically feasible for them to become involved in transporting <br />convalescent patients; that it is a grave injustice that they are allowed to bring <br />patients into Santa Ana but are not allowed to transport those same patients out of <br />the City; that it is common practice for Homes and hospitals to call the ambulance that <br />brought the patient in; that he has heard good comments from rest homes in Santa Ana <br />regarding Care service; that they can offer their service at a lower rate which is <br />advantageous to the patient. <br /> <br />Mr. John Morrill, Morgan Ambulance, 1322 N. Sycamore, spoke against granting <br />the application, stating that on emergency service they can collect oniy about 20% <br />of the cost; that the bulk of their income comes from private calls or community <br />calls; that if more companies are allowed in Santa Ana it is not bettering the service, <br />only increasing competition; that the average operator faces a large investment in <br />equipment which only lasts a few years before it has to be replaced; that insurance <br />is expensive and hard to obtain; that telephones and vehicles have to be manned 24 <br />hours a day; that accounts receivables are very high and most result in write-offs; <br />that Medicare and Medi-Cal are the only ones they can collect their money from <br />and it amounts to approximately 50% of their income. <br /> <br />There were no further proponents or opponents in the matter. The Clerk reported <br />no written communications had been received, and the Mayor closed the toublic <br />hearing. <br /> <br />Councilman Patterson stated that he represents Morgan Ambulance Company; <br />that he did not know a representative of that company would be speaking to the <br />matter, and that since Mr. Mori~ill was present in that regard, he felt there was <br />a conflict of interest, and would abstain from voting. The City Attorney agreed <br />that there was a clear enough conflict of interest not to require the Councilman's <br />vote on the matter. Councilman Patterson stepped down. <br /> <br />The Mayor stated he would not be in favor of granting this application because it <br />had not been proven to him that more ambulances were needed in Santa Ana. <br /> <br />CITY COUNCIL -10- January 3~ 1972 <br /> <br /> <br />