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Source: Tulsa World, Okla.文件倉Nov. 03--ISSUE WATCHThe issue: EMSA response times.This is a story that keeps on going.EMSA trustees recently approved a new ambulance contract with service provider American Medical Response. The vote also nearly doubles the allowable response time for Priority 2 calls, going from 12 minutes 59 seconds to 24 minutes 59 seconds.That has caused tension between EMSA and the Fire Department. Last week the parties put their differences aside and moved forward with the implementation of the new response time.As of Friday, EMSA has 10 minutes and 59 seconds to respond to Priority 1 calls. That's two minutes more than they had on Thursday.The new response time had to be incorporated into Tulsa ordinances before it could be implemented here. Oklahoma City, which also has EMSA ambulance service, has already approved the new response times.Still, the issue is not dead.Firefighters continue to say they are concerned the longer response time will keep them at scenes longer, possibly affecting their ability to respond to other calls in the area.And the problem will likely get worse, they say, with changes to the dispatch codes.Medical Director Dr. Jeffrey Goodloe notified EMSA and area fire departments of the dispatch code changes Oct. 15.When a person calls 911, the call is assigned one of 1,206 codes. With the code changes, the Fire Department will be required to respond to 91 types of calls it was not responsible for previously.Fire Chief Ray Driskell estimates that will result in nearly 15,000 more runs a year for his department.Early last week, EMSA CEO Steve Williamson, Driskell, Mayor Dewey Bartlett and others agreed to postpone implementation of the code changes for up to six months.EMSA and the Fire Department will use that time to study the effects of the extended response times. Stay tuned.-- -- KEVIN CANFIELD, World Staff WriterFROM TWITTER"I think the Holy See's voice is needed more than ever" -- Tulsa's own, Ambassador Francis Rooney on Fox News-- City Councilor G.T. Bynum @gtbynum"Me to @DeweyBartlett yesterday: 'Just a couple of more weeks.' Reply: 'A couple of more weeks until what?' He's a jokester. #tulsaelection #nov12-- Tulsa World reporterZack Stoycoff @ZackStoycoffTWLOOKING BACKGreen waste: Mayor Dewey Bartlett recommended on Tuesday that residents temporarily not be charged a fee for green-waste disposal if the city continues the program."At that point, in order for that attempt (to continue the green-waste program) to be more accepted, perhaps ... for say three to six months or whatever time would be appropriate" green waste could be picked up without an added charge, Bartlett told members of the Tulsa Authority for Recovery of Energy, known as the trash board.Bartlett also announced that Streets Director Dan Crossland would begin reporting to him directly to provide updates on green-waste program operations. Crossland has been in the middle of the controversy regarding who knew what and when about problems with the green-waste program.Trash board members did not address Bartlett's proposal but expressed a lack of support for the idea of refunds in general.City officials decided shortly after the Oct. 1, 2012, launch of the city's new trash system to divert residential yard waste from the city's mulching plant to its trash incinerator because equipment at the mulching plant could not remove the plastic bags in which residents were asked to place excess yard waste.But Tul存倉ans continue to pay a monthly 70-cent fee to subsidize the service.Contractors fined: Three city contractors have paid damages totaling $195,000 for failing to meet construction deadlines since work on the 2008 Fix Our Streets program began in 2009, city records show.Becco Contractors, the city's leading contractor on the streets program, was assessed the largest amount, $87,500, for being 35 days late in completing street maintenance in the area bounded by 46th and 51st streets from 85th to 94th East avenues. The project is complete.Becco is also facing at least $400,000 in damages for another road reconstruction job. W.N. Couch Construction and Pavement Conservation Specialists Inc. were the other companies assessed damages.Sixty-two of Fix Our Streets' 137 repair and reconstruction projects are done.Budget battle: Mayor Dewey Bartlett's refusal to attend a discussion over the city's budget shortfall Thursday appeared to bewilder city councilors, who said it seems like they are being left to confront the problem on their own."In fairness to the mayor, I have zero interest in the mayor coming down so that he can have fingers wagged in his face and people asking him why he didn't do more to stop this," City Councilor G.T. Bynum said. "The issue that's important to all of us and to him is how we fix the projected multimillion-dollar deficit that we have right now."Bartlett had said he would not attend the council committee meeting Thursday because the sponsor of the agenda item requesting his participation appeared to be attempting "political theater."Councilor Jack Henderson had said it was important for Bartlett to address the council's budget questions publicly before the Nov. 12 election.Trash management shakeup: The city division that oversees contracted trash crews and green-waste pickup has been reorganized under a new director in a shakeup that leaves it without an immediate green-waste supervisor.Green- and bulky-waste Superintendent Andy Huggins, a longtime trash official whose position was eliminated in the reorganization, will take a 19.7 percent pay cut -- going from $63,730 to $51,199 yearly -- to become the city's recycling coordinator, city spokeswoman Michelle Allen said.-- -- ZACK STOYCOFF AND KEVIN CANFIELD, World Staff WritersLOOKING AHEAD1:30 p.m. Wednesday: Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission meeting, City Council chambers of City Hall, Second Street and Cincinnati Avenue6 p.m. Thursday: City Council meeting, City Council chambers of City Hall, Second Street and Cincinnati Avenue"If he thinks he is going to be put on the spot, he doesn't show up."-- City Councilor Jack Henderson, speaking about Mayor Dewey Bartlett's absence at a council committee meeting last week to discuss the budget."We do not set policy. I have been told that more than once by more than one mayor."-- City Finance Director Mike Kier, speaking with city councilors about the city's budget, during a council committee meeting."Send old Lloyd down here. I don't care."-- Councilor G.T. Bynum, jokingly suggesting that Lloyd Wright, the mayor's spokesman, take part in budget discussions with the council.Follow us on TwitterFollow Tulsa World City Hall reporters Kevin Canfield (@KevinCanfieldTW) and Zack Stoycoff (@ZackStoycoff) for the latest news on the City of Tulsa.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 Tulsa World (Tulsa, Okla.) Visit Tulsa World (Tulsa, Okla.) at .tulsaworld.com Distributed by MCT Information Services儲存