Questions are swirling in a Greater Boston suburb over why officials shifted away from an ambulance provider that served the community for 25 years, as leaders show resistance in providing answers.

The Medford City Council is set to meet with officials Tuesday as councilors press for greater details on why Armstrong Ambulance Service wasn’t selected to continue serving the city of roughly 60,000 people.

Controversy has swirled since Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn and other officials announced before the new year that the city has entered into a three-year contract agreement with Cataldo Ambulance Service, breaking course from Armstrong.

Officials offered the council some insight into the decision last week, but councilors voted to convene again in a subcommittee meeting scheduled for Tuesday. They say the biggest question left unanswered is how the new contract makes the city safer.

“I don’t know that this has to be dragged out through the public to satisfy everybody’s curiosity,” Police Chief Jack Buckley told councilors last week. “I think at some point and level, you have to trust … your leaders of public safety, that they’re making decisions on behalf of this city that are responsible and safe.”

Officials have reiterated that the city didn’t terminate a contract with Armstrong and that the last agreement with the company expired in November. They’ve also highlighted how they expect service to improve through Cataldo as the company provides resources in responding to mental health and substance use emergency calls.

But councilors, Armstrong and residents say a lack of transparency behind the move has left them puzzled.

“I want to understand why we’re making the decision we’re making,” Council President Isaac “Zac” Bears said, “and if that means putting out things that feel difficult to say, I think that’s okay. That honesty is really important.”

Buckley alleged that Armstrong, during negotiations, proposed “terms” for a new contract that were going to “cost the city money.” The police chief also claimed that the company’s response times were “going into the 40-minute range” and that it wasn’t being “upfront” about its performance.

“I haven’t heard a bad thing about Cataldo,” Buckley said, eliciting jeers from community members who attended last week’s meeting. “You could call me a liar. I’m not a liar. 
I’ve got a long career and a reputation that says otherwise.”

“I didn’t call you a liar, sir,” Bears responded.

“I know,” the police chief said, “but this is the problem you have when you hold forums. I get called a liar because I make a statement that somebody doesn’t agree with. It’s not a lie.”

Armstrong Ambulance CEO Rich Raymond said the company had been meeting with city officials since last April to discuss a new contract. In October, Raymond claimed that the company and city had reached a five-year agreement he thought was going to be presented to the City Council.

Raymond said he learned last month that Medford selected Cataldo, walking away from Armstrong. He added that he hasn’t been provided any clear information on what prompted the move.

“We know the city better than anyone,” Raymond said. “We know the intricacies, we know the response patterns. … And I speak ill of no other company, I just know that we do it better, and we have the men and women here to do it better.”

Nina Nazarian, the mayor’s chief of staff, explained that contracts for emergency ambulance services are exempt from typical public bidding requirements. She added that officials continued talks with Armstrong while beginning negotiations with Cataldo.

“I honestly think that while there are some questions,” Nazarian said, “and hopefully we can get some of those questions answered, carrying this conversation on to a degree is only potentially going to create concern and fear.”

In 2025, Armstrong claims averaged a response time of 4 minutes and 30 seconds in Medford. Union EMTs and paramedics say that rate is “squarely within the National Fire Protection Association’s recommended 4 to 5 minute EMS/fire response window.”

“I understand how it’s uncomfortable,” Councilor George Scarpelli said, “but the bottom line is, I think people are more frightened if we don’t come to some resolution and understand how this process went on, because, again, communication isn’t going (out) correctly. The communication is scaring a lot of people.”

Medford City Hall. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald)