Marion Special Town Meeting voters approved spending $232,740 to upgrade the ambulance department, but awarded control of those funds to Selectmen, not the fire chief.

The ambulance service has been operating on an extended license for months because it has been unable to meet state mandated guidelines. Officials from the state’s Office of Emergency Management said the department would lose its license to operate by Feb. 28, 2014 unless major changes occurred.

On Monday night, residents didn’t hesitate to approve the funds. However, a number of questions were raised about how the ambulance department is currently managed by the fire department.

The Marion Finance Committee recommended giving Selectmen control of the funds in order to allow the committee and Fire Chief Thomas Joyce time to address the problem.

“We do not believe that we, as the finance committee and the Board of Selectmen, had time to study the problem completely,” finance committee Chair Alan Minard said. “The Selectmen and the fire chief need to work together to decide a path.”

Joyce originally requested $349,108, which would have been used to hire enough part-time EMTs and paramedics to staff the ambulance 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Additionally, stipends would be paid to on-call EMTs and paramedics who would be prepared to respond should a second ambulance be needed.

Minard said more options should be considered. The town might explore hiring a private service or relying on a combination of a private ambulance and town-hired staff.

Before the vote, Town Administrator Paul Dawson showed voters a break down of how the money would be spent.

He included bids from two private services that were sought in case the motion failed and the town had to rely on a private ambulance. The bids ranged from $700,000 per year to more than $1 million, depending on the level of service.

Selectman John Henry said awarding control of the funds to his board was “unprecedented.” Opposing the finance committee, Henry said Joyce should spend the money.

The move is temporary until a final decision is made, Minard said.

During the meeting, many said the ambulance department has suffered since Selectmen folded it into the fire department in 2012.

At the time, Selectmen said the previously independent organization would be better managed under the fire department.

Resident Lee Dougall said that hasn’t happened.

“There’s a broken system,” she said. “Why is the system broken? What efforts have been made to correct that system? How much recruitment has happened in the last four years? Why are people signed up but not responding?”

Dale Jones, who helped found the ambulance service in the 1970s, spoke up too.

Currently an EMT, he favored giving Selectmen control of the funds. “The money should definitely stay with Selectmen. I do not trust the [fire department] administration,” Jones said.

Minard said the key to the department’s success will be to treat it like a business. If managed properly, the ambulance service should not cost the town any money. The cost of an ambulance ride is generally covered by private insurance companies or Medicare. Sometimes the entire bill is not covered. In those cases the town will attempt to collectt the difference from patients. Homeowners will not see a tax increase because of the appropriation. The money was transferred from the town’s “free cash” fund, but doesn’t represent the total cost.

The amount approved is only needed to hire staff for part of the year. Voters will revisit the issue at Annual Town Meeting when a final figure will be determined.