As Superior Downsizes, Village and County say City Risks their Coverage
GRANTS, NM – The Cibola County Commission held a special meeting to consider a resolution to request modification of the ambulance certificate issued to the City of Grants until Grants fulfills its commitment to provide backup ambulance services, the resolution was tabled following a discussion between the commission and various members of the city, village, and outside communities, with the possibility of the resolution being changed so Grants Fire and Rescue will be the primary ambulance service in the entire County of Cibola.
This meeting was held on May 6.
On August 11, 2023, the City of Grants received a letter from Superior Ambulance giving the city a 30-day notice that Superior would be terminating the contract between itself and the City and ambulance services from Superior would be terminated on September 11, 2023.
Following this letter, the city scrambled to find a solution.
Grants City Manager Andrew Valencia said the city had to prepare just in case Superior decided to terminate the contract, which led to Grants Fire and Rescue working to acquire a PRC license to bill individuals for medical transportation.
The city received their license from the Public Regulation Commission. This is a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for ambulance services. During the Grants City Council meeting on October 25, 2023, the city affirmed that it would only serve as a backup service. Superior Ambulance was expected to remain as the primary ambulance provider, the city and its services would only “enhance” the current provider.
The resolution from the Cibola County Commission states, “Despite these assurances, the City of Grants, after securing the ambulance certificate, unilaterally declared itself the primary provider of ambulance services within its jurisdiction, thereby altering the previously agreed-upon arrangement, stating in an April 11, 2024 letter to Superior Ambulance that ‘[w]e will request assistance from Grants based Superior Ambulance within the city of Grants, city limits if multiple calls come in at one time, Grants Fire and Rescue is not available or calls that may exceed our medical capabilities.’” The county commission explained that the city did not meet with the county prior to having unilaterally declared itself the primary provider of ambulance services within the city and Superior Ambulance has expressed its intent to continue operating in Cibola County but has said that it cannot financially sustain its operation in the unincorporated parts of the county without also providing services to the City of Grants as the primary provider.
County Manager Kate Fletcher said the reason behind this meeting was to begin the conversation regarding ambulance services and to hear from the city their reasoning behind declaring itself the primary provider of ambulance services in the City of Grants.
Valencia said that the reasoning was because the city did not trust Superior Ambulance following the letter, and they felt the need to do something to protect the citizens of grants.
Fletcher after failing to establish a rapport with Valencia, spoke to Superior Ambulance CEO Chris Archuleta regarding the situation between Superior and Grants Fire. Archuleta said that it was never Superior’s intent to cease operations in Grants, and that they actually filed to recertify their certificate as the primary ambulance service in December.
Archuleta also said that if Grants continues to move forward with being primary then Superior will be forced to cease operations due to the lack of revenue that they get from the Grants area.
Archuleta said that due to not receiving the subsidies from the local governments and the losses that Superior was receiving with two ambulances, they had to downsize having only one staffed ambulance. Fletcher asked Archuleta if one ambulance is adequate and if they have seen a lot of calls that they are not able to respond to.
Archuleta responded by saying that Superior has not missed a call that they are aware of, and they have been monitoring the call volume and making sure that they are meeting the community need. Archuleta also said that there will be an occasion that Superior will not be available, but it is very rare.
Public Safety Answering Point Director and Cibola 911 coordinator Mindy Cunningham disagreed with this claim. She said that currently, with Superior having one ambulance, there are roughly five to 15 calls per week that other agencies must respond to due to Superior being unavailable.
An overarching concern of local governments and Superior is that the City of Grants will struggle being the primary ambulance service and might possibly ask either the County or the Village for money.
Valencia said again that the city no longer trusts Superior Ambulance.
Village of Milan Trustee Chris Archuleta responded to this by saying, “If they are providing service now, you still have something to fall back on. If they are not, and you guys take over right now, [The Village of Milan] still has to figure out; and the county has to figure out what we’re going to do for our citizens as well.”
Commissioner Ralph Lucero said that if the city can commit to covering the entirety of Cibola County as an ambulance service, he will support whatever decision the city, village and county make.
Valencia told the commission, “As a representative from the city and my governing body, and my mayor, we entertain an invitation to the county and the village to sit down and figure out what’s right for the citizens of Cibola County.”
The meeting ended with the resolution being tabled with the possibility of the resolution changing to have the City of Grants modify their license to incorporate the entirety of Cibola County.