Rindge has agreed to pay outstanding fees to the Jaffrey-Rindge Memorial Ambulance, and continue using the service into the next fiscal year, with an updated contract.

Rindge Town Administrator Max Vandervliet said Thursday that the Select Board met in a non-public session following its Wednesday meeting, where board members received about 45 minutes of public feedback regarding their dispute with the JRMA.

JRMA had issued a letter to the town informing it the town must pay an outstanding amount of $27,000, and commit to paying $125,000 for the coming year, or have ambulance service terminated by Feb. 20.

The town had continued to negotiate with JRMA, while also considering other potential ambulance services.

During Wednesday’s meeting, Select Board Chair Bob Hamilton, when asked what the concerns were with the JRMA service, stated that among issues were failure to uphold promised 24-hour coverage, at least 13 instances where the town had to rely on mutual aid coverage from Peterborough, and Jaffrey and Rindge sharing costs of the ambulance equally, despite Jaffrey typically receiving a higher percentage of the call volume.

Town to stay with JRMA

According to a statement posted on the Rindge town website, the town and JRMA have reached an agreement pertaining to ambulance service, and that contract will remain for the duration of the year “as long as both parties adhere to its provisions.”

According to Vandervliet, 24-hour coverage remains as one of those provisions, and the contact will include an exit clause for Rindge if the coverage is not maintained.

The Select Board reached the decision after a non-public meeting on Wednesday, where it reviewed a newly proposed JRMA contract, as well as two other proposals solicited by the town.

“Although we are pleased to report that finality has been brought to this matter, it is equally important to note that much like other goods and services needed for everyday life, the cost of ambulance services are increasing fairly dramatically throughout the state and our region,” Rindge’s statement reads.

A statement from the JRMA, also on Rindge’s website, states that the organization is moving forward “with a shared focus on public safety, operational readiness, and community service.”

Board receives public feedback

Prior to the non-public meeting where the contract was discussed, the board held its regular Select Board meeting. Though the ambulance was not a matter on the agenda, the topic dominated the discussion during the public comment period.

Prior to opening public comment, Hamilton told the crowd there were contingency plans to ensure continued emergency medical services, without giving specifics.

Several members of the public called for the town to pay JRMA, and said that when they approved warrant articles last March it was under the impression that was what the funds were for.

Ambulance funding for the past year came from three sources: funds allocated in the budget, and in two separate warrant articles. In March, the proposed budget allocated a total of $85,000 for the ambulance service. The town did not approve that budget, which reset the amount set aside for ambulance services to the previously approved budget, or $46,500.

The town had a warrant article to raise $38,500 for ambulance services which would only become active if the budget failed and a default scenario was put into place. There was also a second warrant article, putting $40,000 in an ambulance trust fund, for ambulance services, without specifically naming JRMA.

During Wednesday’s meeting, Hamilton said the town had only promised $85,000 to JRMA. He said the $40,000 article did not name JRMA.

During the comment section, Selectman Tom Coneys joined the audience, saying that the town had only paid a portion of the September 2025 bill for JRMA, only up the the $85,000 Hamilton said was promised, and had not paid a subsequent bill, but said that those invoices had not come before the Select Board for votes. He asked if the matter would ever come before the board for a vote.

Hamilton responded that the board does not deal with individual invoices and that he would hope that any department head would not pay more than was budgeted for any service.

Other officials say that Hamilton’s repetition that the town only ever promised JRMA $85,000 is not how they recall last year’s budget conversations.

Former selectman Karl Pruter, who was on the board when the 2025 warrant articles and budget were formed, said the board structured the warrant articles that way in case the town wanted to pursue another ambulance option, due to rising costs. He said it was always his view that if the town did stay with JRMA, the $40,000 would be used for JRMA.

“That was the board’s discussion,” Pruter said. “It belongs to the ambulance.”

Bob Schaumann, the current president of the JRMA board, agreed that JRMA requested $125,000 from both Rindge and Jaffrey, and had never agreed to a lesser amount from Rindge for a full year’s service. He said the structure has always been based on a partnership, not call volume, noting that it’s to ensure availability, not to pay per ride.

Several residents who spoke at Wednesday’s meeting said that when they voted in March, they believed it was to pay JRMA, and said that if that wasn’t the case for the coming year it needed to be made clear for voters.

Resident Judy Unger-Clark said that given this year’s warrant also breaks up the funding into a budget item for $85,000 and a warrant article for $40,000, she would like more transparency about the fact it might not be JRMA providing the service. She called for the town to “get it together.”

Resident Robert Martin asked the town to pay the outstanding fee, saying, “It blows my mind they’re not paying what they’re due.”

“Pay the bill. Pay the bill, Bob [Hamilton],” agreed resident Mike Whitehead. “They’re well worth it.”