Valor gets 911 contract in Clark County

By JOEL PHELPS | arkadelphian.com

ARKADELPHIA, Arkansas — In a unanimous 11-0 vote late Monday evening at a special-called meeting of the Clark County Quorum Court, Valor Emergency Medical Services was awarded exclusivity to respond to medical emergencies in Clark County.

County Judge Troy Tucker said he anticipates Valor’s contract to take effect come Oct. 1, and that he anticipates a contract length of three years. The judge, who has the executive authority to sign contracts, also said he would honor the court’s decision.

The quorum court’s decision came after a two-hour Q&A session with top executives of the two providers vying for the contract. Justice Michael Ankton’s motion to award the contract to Valor got a second from Justice Garry “BJ” Johns. The court’s unanimous decision was received by roaring applause from the packed courtroom behind them.

Ahead of the vote, justices grilled Jamie Pafford Gresham, CEO of Pafford Emergency Medical Services, on a variety of issues and questions posed by their constituents. Valor CEO J.D. Windham, too, fielded a number of questions on issues ranging from interagency communications to response time in remote areas where GPS mapping can lead drivers astray.

To sweeten the pot at the last minute, Gresham pledged “more ambulances [in Clark County] than you’ve ever seen before” if selected as the provider, with trucks in Gurdon, Caddo Valley, two in Arkadelphia, with regional support for Amity and Bismarck.

Once justices had finished with each candidate, Tucker inquired of each CEO whether they intended to ask the court for subsidies — additional funding from the county’s coffers — at a later date. Both Gresham and Windham said they wouldn’t.

Following the presentations from each CEO, justices emphasized that community input helped guide their decision.

After the meeting, Windham told The Arkadelphian that he is “grateful that this county and the officials of this county have done their research and sought out what was best for their communities. They’ve entrusted us with providing the service of saving lives, and we’re not going to fail on that delivery.”