YOUNGSTOWN — City council again declined to consider an ordinance to spend up to $50,000 on a study to determine the feasibility of a Youngstown-run ambulance service and moved it to its safety committee for further discussion.

Council also Wednesday heard from Law Director Jeff Limbian who said it would be against city law for Mill Creek MetroParks to permit hunters to shoot deer — as well as bow hunting — in Youngstown. The park board agreed April 10 to reduce the deer population through the use of firearm and bow hunting.

Council decided Wednesday to refer the proposed ambulance study to its safety committee.

Council chose at its Feb. 15 meeting to make the same decision to identical legislation, except the language of that ordinance would have hired Public Consulting Group of Boston for the study.

Some members were concerned the firm was recommended after fire Chief Barry Finley did a Google search and that the $50,000 expense was too high. The ordinance was referred to council’s safety committee, which hasn’t met since then.

The safety committee will meet April 28 and will discuss the proposed study, said Councilwoman Anita Davis, D-6th Ward and committee chairwoman.

“I want to find out the justification for the $50,000,” Davis said. “I want to look at it a lot further and get answers to questions. I don’t want to see them take off the name out of the company and come back and hire the same company.”

With surrounding communities already doing similar studies, the price tag shouldn’t be that high, she said.

“All we’ll get is a recycled study,” Davis said. “I truly want to make sure we’re doing the best for our residents and not just spending $50,000, $50,000, $50,000 on every study. Don’t exploit us.”

Councilman Pat Kelly, D-5th Ward, said he strongly opposed spending the money on the study. The $50,000 is a “waste of taxpayers’ dollars,” he said.

Limbian said last week that Public Consulting Group was removed from the new ordinance and replaced with allowing the board of control to seek proposals to “placate council’s remaining concerns and to get the best possible proposal.” He didn’t rule out hiring the Boston firm for the study.

City council voted Dec. 16 to pay $3.9 million over a three-year period to Emergency Medical Transport for ambulance service using American Rescue Fund money with a two-year renewal option after contract negotiations with American Medical Response, the city’s longtime ambulance provider, broke down.

AMR wanted $1.8 million to $2.6 million annually to continue to provide services to Youngstown or it would have ended its contract when it expired Dec. 31.

That was the first time the city provided a subsidy for ambulance services.

AMR said it needed the money to pay for wage increases and because it lost money on runs paid by Medicaid.

Council members have asked for a plan for a city-run ambulance service, but have been told by administrative officials that it’s cost prohibitive for Youngstown to operate its own system. The firefighters union has said the fire department could operate the ambulance service.

DEER HUNTING

Limbian said he’ll have a legal opinion likely today or Friday about the legality of reducing the deer population in Youngstown’s part of Mill Creek Park. He said Wednesday that using a gun would be a first-degree misdemeanor offense of discharging a firearm within the city limits. Bow hunting would be a minor misdemeanor.

Park officials said the targeted deer hunting would involve federally employed professional marksmen using firearms as well as through bow and firearm hunting via a state Division of Wildlife lottery.

“Mill Creek Park is not the Vatican,” Limbian said. “Hunting in those areas of the park in Youngstown are subject to Youngstown ordinances.”

Limbian said the administration opposes using firearms in the park to reduce the deer population in the city limits.

Park officials say deer are overpopulating the park system, while several residents disagree and oppose the plan.

Davis, who opposes the deer killing, said: “We have an ordinance against hunting in the city. The park can’t supersede city law. I’m sure we’re on good, firm footing about not discharging a firearm in the city limits. I want my residents to be safe.”

Patricia Ferrara of Kiawatha Road, who lives close to the park, told council that she feared for her safety if guns were fired near her home.