The agency that manages ambulances in the Tulsa and Oklahoma City areas has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on a litany of non-medical expenses, including $80,000 on lobbyists and public relations, $1,000 on a Christmas tree and $14,000 for the annual rent on a two-bedroom apartment for executives, a Tulsa World investigation found.

The Emergency Medical Services Authority built cash reserves that hit $6.6 million this year, the newspaper reported Sunday. That reserve is now down to about $4.1 million. The agency receives about $4.8 million a year from a monthly fee of $3.64 added to utility bills.

EMSA has won national awards and posts survival rates of patients that are well above the national average, chief executive Steve Williamson told the newspaper. It also takes less money from the city of Tulsa than ambulance services elsewhere, Williamson said.

"From all indices of whether it's clinical or financial, we are doing an excellent job, and we are working hard to get even better," said Williamson, who is also president of the American Ambulance Association.

But officials suggest that they're troubled by the expenses listed in records obtained by the newspaper.

Clay Bird, Tulsa's interim economic development director and a member of EMSA's board, said he voted to approve the ambulance service's last budget without reading it. The board passed EMSA's 2012 budget without discussion at a June meeting that lasted 25 minutes.

"I probably haven't been the most exemplary board member or had the time to get up to speed where I should be," Bird said. "I certainly plan on it."

Bill Christiansen, a member of the Tulsa city council, said EMSA needed "more oversight and more accountability" on how it spends taxpayer money.

EMSA's newest budget includes a 9 percent raise for Williamson, who now makes $241,000 in salary and benefits that include a $7,200 car allowance. The city of Tulsa's highest-paid employee is the city physician, Philip Berry, who makes about $180,000.

The budget sets aside $2.5 million to expand a building in 2013. Previously, the agency spent more than $2 million to renovate its headquarters — with $36,000 for new signs and $28,000 for terrazzo tiles in the employee break room.

Williamson said the building was more than 20 years old and needed to be updated.

EMSA also reported a reserve fund of $6.6 million at the end of August, though the cost of new ambulances has cut into that amount. Williamson said EMSA needed the money to pay for higher medical costs due to Medicare and the pending federal health care overhaul.

Money spent on lobbying and public relations were needed to deal with complex regulations and to spread awareness about the ambulance service, Williamson said.

And he said the agency tries its best to check the efficiency of all of its purchases, including a Christmas tree that cost $999, an office chair that cost $1,700, a stone feature with EMSA's logo that cost $15,000, a $3,800 trophy case and a $3,200 charcoal grill.

EMSA does not require competitive bidding on anything that costs less than $25,000.

Bird, the agency board member, said he thought EMSA "provides great service for the money" but would need some review.

"In general, I think my gut would say I don't want to toy with it too much and micromanage the organization," Bird told the newspaper.