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County Counsel recommending the Board of Supervisors approve and authorize the Chair to execute the Legal Services Agreement between El Dorado County and Cole Huber, LLP to engage Cole Huber, LLP as outside counsel for the County to provide legal services as requested by County Counsel related to Emergency Medical Services.
FUNDING: Emergency Medical Services Agency, County Service Area 7 funds (EMS: CSA 7 Ambulance) and/or County Service Area 3 funds (EMS: CSA 3 SLT) depending on the issue(s) being addressed.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The County has engaged a consultant to conduct a formal assessment of the County’s emergency medical services ground ambulance system to analyze current practices and to determine whether improvements and/or changes to the system should be considered or undertaken. To allow time for the completion of the system assessment, including time to consider potential changes to the system, the County entered into a two-year extension of its current contract with the El Dorado County Emergency Medical Services Authority (West Slope JPA) which extends the contract to 2025. The County also has an existing contract with the Cal Tahoe Emergency Medical Services Authority (CSA 3 JPA) for ground ambulance services in the Tahoe Basin.
In anticipation of an increased workload due to issues and questions that will potentially be raised by the results of the system assessment, potential changes to the system, potential need for a request for proposals, future contract negotiation issues, and other ongoing EMS issues, County Counsel and the Emergency Medical Services Agency want to be prepared in advance for the potential increase in the workload. Accordingly, County Counsel and the Emergency Medical Services Agency desire to have a contract in place with qualified outside counsel so that legal resources are available on an “as needed” basis which would enable County Counsel to request the assistance of outside counsel on specified issue...
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