A Special Call Meeting of the Mayor and Board of Aldermen of the City of Ocean Springs was called to order by Mayor Ainsworth at 5:30 p.m. on October 10, 2000, at City Hall in the City of Ocean Springs. Present were Aldermen Jalanivich, Garrard, McDonnell, Cody, Cosper, Denyer and Gill, City Attorney Oscar Jordan and City Clerk Adrienne Howell.

Also present for the meeting were Jackson County Attorney Paula Yancey, Jackson County Supervisor Frank Leach, Matthew Avery of the Pascagoula Board of Aldermen and representatives from American Medical Response (AMR).

Mayor Ainsworth read aloud the following Special Call, then gave the floor to Alderman Garrard.

(Special Call)

Alderman Garrard expressed concern over the Jackson County Board of Supervisors’ decision to contract with an out-of-state ambulance company to service all of Jackson County without first consulting with the municipalities. He suggested that the City might want to consider declaring it’s own ambulance district and request state funds be sent directly to the City of Ocean Springs so that the City could make it’s own decision as to which ambulance company would service the citizens.

Aldermen McDonnell and Cody expressed concern that the new ambulance service didn’t have a plan for areas such as the Villa Maria and Samaritan House, and were concerned for the elderly citizens in town.

Supervisor Frank Leach reported Jackson County had received $80,000.00 last year, but that the county had to provide a minimum of $50,000.00 of it’s own money to get the funding.

Paula Yancey, attorney for Jackson County, advised that the Board of Supervisors had only selected an ambulance company to begin negotiations; no company had been selected as of yet. She advised the Mayor and Aldermen that in order to apply for state funding, an entity must have emergency management operation funds budgeted and must have operated for one year.

Ms. Yancey was to contact Mr. Jordan within two weeks concerning the matter, as Jackson County’s contract with AMR expires November 28, 2000.

Motion by Cody, seconded by Cosper, to adjourn.

VOTING AYE ALL

VOTING NAY NONE

______________________________ _____________________________

City Clerk Mayor

________________ ________________

Date Date