GRAFTON — Two Mascoma Valley towns are close to inking a $50,000 contract for ambulance services in Grafton this calendar year. But Canaan officials consider that amount too small for future agreements.
The contract is intended as a placeholder while the two towns negotiate a way to cover the true cost of Canaan’s service in Grafton, which Canaan taxpayers have been funding.
“As we go forward, we are certainly going to have to firm up the numbers and to get to more of our $180,000-plus (cost) versus the $50,000 because that won’t cover it,” said Town Administrator Chet Hagenbarth.
Canaan officials say it costs a minimum of $1,400 to respond to a call.
Based on the 63 calls that Canaan responded to in Grafton last year, the $50,000 temporary agreement amounts to just under $800 per call, assuming call volumes this year are similar to last year.
Grafton has a population of 1,385 residents, according to 2020 U.S. Census data, but needs reliable emergency services just like any municipality, said Grafton Selectman Steve Darrow. Those needs can be hard to meet.
“In my view, we can’t afford too much but on the other hand, we have to make sure that we provide quality emergency services,” said Darrow.
The availability of Grafton EMS volunteers to respond quickly to calls has diminished. The town has just two consistent volunteers, said Darrow. Two people are required to operate the ambulance so if only one person is unavailable, they can’t respond.
Canaan, on the other hand, has four paid positions. There are two EMTs available 24/7, and 15 total staff members, though they are always looking for more volunteers, said interim Chief Christopher Olsen. They typically answer two or three calls per day and assist in hospital transports when available.
“We’re ready to move forward with helping out more in Grafton,” Olsen said Tuesday by phone.
The $50,000 contract is expected to be formally approved at both towns’ upcoming selectboard meetings on Tuesday, following a verbal agreement between the towns. The public is encouraged to attend, said Darrow.
Some residents, such as former Grafton Selectman Thomas McGinty, think those funds would be better spent in town, particularly toward a paid ambulance position. Compensation could bring more interest in the Grafton ambulance service. Otherwise, resources are being funneled into another municipality.
“The town refuses to do what’s best for itself,” McGinty said Thursday by phone.
Residents may be concerned about losing the ambulance service in town, but Grafton simply can’t meet their needs.
“I can understand the apprehension, (but) Canaan has a really good record of working with Grafton. They respond to the calls when we cannot,” said Darrow. “They are very good partners.”
McGinty worries the terms of this merger will remain up in the air until the last minute and that the solution may not be favorable to Grafton taxpayers in the long run.
“There were all kinds of different conversations floated out there and I don’t think anything concrete has been really presented to the townspeople on exactly how it’ll work,” said McGinty.
In 2025, there were 126 ambulance calls in Grafton, according to Olsen. Canaan responded to about half of them, which is similar to the year prior.
“When Canaan is needed, Canaan is there,” Darrow said Tuesday by phone.
Canaan and Grafton previously had emergency service contracts put in place by former selectboard members, but it has not been redone in the past five years, Hagenbarth said Wednesday by phone.
“To this point, we were not having an excessive amount of calls,” said Hagenbarth, pointing to less response by Grafton volunteers.
As of now, Canaan and Grafton settled on the $50,000 agreement for this calendar year. Between the ambulance revolving fund and operating budget, Grafton can afford the first year, said Darrow. He added that this price is reasonable.
When it comes to next year, the contract details remain unknown, as the $50,000 amount is a temporary measure. Potential future contracts with Grafton will closely reflect the $1,400 cost per call, Hagenbarth predicts, as reflected in Canaan’s agreements with other towns, like Dorchester and Orange.
Canaan also has contracts with Dorchester and Orange. Dorchester, for example, is expected to pay $51,439 for EMS services in 2026, Olsen said Wednesday. This number was calculated with the $1,400 per call figure in mind based on the average number of calls each year, which is in the 30s. Canaan covers half of Dorchester.
Leaders from both towns met on Jan. 27 to negotiate an agreement, so that taxpayers in Canaan are no longer funding the entire service to Grafton. However, the $1,400 per call cost may not be manageable for Grafton.
“The first response we got from Canaan is that they were going to charge us $1,400 per call and that would blow our budget right through the ceiling,” Darrow said at last Saturday’s deliberative session in Grafton.
The proposed Canaan EMS budget is $944,043 for this year, said Hagenbarth. Grafton appropriated the sum of $17,900 toward its own ambulance service last year, with $13,708 spent. This year, an appropriation of $14,400 for ambulance services is on the March 10 warrant.
In recent years, Grafton purchased a brand new ambulance for $263,000 using a mix of federal and local funds. Its previous vehicle was 17 years old and needed to be replaced, said Darrow.
Darrow had hoped the new ambulance would entice more residents to volunteer. Now, this new ambulance may be used as a bargaining chip in negotiations with Canaan, as it could help offset the cost of a future contract if given to Canaan.
“To be frank about it, if we are not making ambulance calls, we have less of a need for the ambulance,” said Darrow.
Canaan has two rescue 911 ambulances, and would need more personnel to operate an additional vehicle, said Olsen. Hagenbarth confirmed that the ambulance transfer is on the table, and would be a beneficial trade to both towns.
Grafton has limited service options. Canaan is the most logical alternative. Services from Bristol, N.H., New London or Lebanon are other possibilities, but Darrow said they are all too far away to provide immediate care.
Golden Cross Ambulance — a private service based in Claremont — is another option. It would provide Grafton with 24/7 service, but the cost would be prohibitive at $12,000 per month, or $144,000 annually. Grafton would also need to supply the ambulance and provide sleeping quarters in town — which currently don’t exist.
Moving forward, the future of Grafton Volunteer Ambulance is unclear. Volunteers may increase over the next year, but the department could also dissolve completely, said Darrow.
In the coming months, the towns plan to draft a memorandum of understanding for how much Grafton would pay for a subsequent year of service, said Hagenbarth.
“Whichever way these negotiations take us, we’ll have to seriously consider them and if it’s too much money, we’ll have to consider what alternatives we have,” said Darrow.
Grafton’s selectboard will meet Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 6 p.m. in Town Hall, located off Turnpike Road. Canaan’s selectboard will meet on the same date at the same time at the Emergency Operation Center, located off Route 118.
CORRECTION: Grafton has a population of 1,385 people, according to U.S. Census data. A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the population.