The Board of Aldermen agreed last month to settle a long-simmering lawsuit brought against Derby by Valley Emergency Medical Services, the region’s paramedic service.
VEMS sued Derby in 2013 because the city had not paid its annual $30,000 fee since 2007. At the time, VEMS claimed the city owed $190,000.
Derby had stopped paying because city officials believed they were not getting a fair deal. Then-Mayor Anthony Staffieri argued VEMS’ bills were too high, especially based on Derby’s small population compared to neighboring Shelton. Derby also pointed to internal troubles within the VEMS’ board of directors.
VEMS, based in Seymour, bolsters local ambulance services in the lower Valley. It provides highly trained advanced life support paramedics who hop in ambulances to treat the most seriously injured or ill patients.
In a deal approved by the Derby Board of Aldermen last month after an executive session, Derby agreed to pay $175,000, spread out over several years.
According to court documents, Derby will pay:
- $25,000 immediately
- $30,000 every year on Aug. 1 through 2021
That covers the back pay Derby owed.
In addition to the back pay, the city agreed to pay VEMS $32,000 per year going forward — the amount other VEMS towns pay, according to a VEMS press release.
Basically, the settlement re-establishes Derby’s old arrangement with VEMS, but holds Derby’s feet to the fire with a legal agreement.
Despite the dispute, VEMS never stopped providing the city paramedic coverage.
