The city of Auburn will look at the future of public safety this week.

Auburn City Council is scheduled to vote Thursday during a business meeting on resolutions concerning the city's fire department and ambulance service.

One resolution would authorize a five-year contract with TLC Emergency Medical Services to continue as the city's ambulance unit. The other would fund an update to the 2003 study conducted by MMA Consulting Group of the Auburn Fire Department.

The council meeting starts at 4 p.m. at Memorial City Hall on South Street. Council meetings will be commencing two hours earlier than normal through August. The meeting will also include an open section for the public to be heard on any topic.

The proposed contract with TLC comes after the Central New York Regional Emergency Medical Services Council granted the city's request for control over its own ambulance system. After that decision in March, the city's application underwent a 30-day approval process with the state health department.

TLC has been running Auburn's ambulance service since 2006, when the city was given temporary operating authority of its EMT service.

“It's a real good deal, and I think the city should be proud of the service it gets now,” City Manager Mark Palesh said Monday.

Palesh will also ask the council to approve $12,000 to update the 2003 fire study, which examined ways to make the department more efficient. The findings of the original study were cited when Palesh announced the closure of the Frederick Street station.

Palesh said the updated study will look at changes that have taken place since 2003.

“I'm looking forward to the study, and when I get it, I plan to implement it,” Palesh said.

Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net.