Discussion was the byword for portions of Purcell’s City Council and Public Works agendas Tuesday. But the talk stopped short of action.

The PWA trustees heard again from Jackie Wadley with Wadley EMS who asked the trustees to add a $5 per month surcharge to roughly 950 water bills for customers who live outside the city limits.

Even when Wadley pointed out that ambulance service for those customers is being underwritten by utility customers inside the city limits, trustees were unmoved.

Wadley gave an example of his emergency rate  ranges from $600 to $1,300. Medicare pays $340 on the high end.

“Depending on the level of service, I lose between $600 to $1,000,” Wadley said.

“Everything we do comes out of that 347,” he continued.

Wadley said he will use the additional revenue to increase salaries for his employees.

The company starts paramedics at $40,000 per year. But the harsh reality is Norman and other ambulance services in the metro start paramedics at $52,000.

Wadley said he wrote off $55,000 in bad debt in 2021 and is still owed more than $70,000.

Mayor Graham Fishburn balked at billing water customers outside the city limits, saying he was uncomfortable assessing the fee on people who don’t elect the council and PWA trustees.

“But we are paying for their (ambulance) service,” city manager Dale Bunn countered.

As close as trustees would come to reaching a decision was directing Bunn, city staff and city attorney Greg Dixon to determine whether the legalities of PWA action to add the surcharge.

The city council, meanwhile, amended an ordinance by adding language regarding tethering dogs.

Purcell Animal Shelter staff reported the shelter receives numerous calls about dogs that are tied outside on a chain or rope.

While a trolley tie that allows the dog running room without fear of becoming tangled is an acceptable option, the council was told that a dog tied outside 24/7 is a recipe for disaster.

“We’re just trying to make better pet owners,” said Louise Zastrow, shelter manager. “We’ll do the education to make a better life for the dog and the owner.”

In other business, the council:

Approved the preliminary plat for the South Brook Addition;

Approved the 2022-23 contract to lease space in the Purcell Human Resources Center to Purcell Public Library;

Approved a $3,061 change order to resolve a casework conflict in the trauma room at the new hospital, and

Appointed Savannah Pyle to replace Allen Eubanks as citizen-at-large on the Purcell Tourism Committee.