A public commenter at the Webster County Board of Supervisors meeting on Aug. 12 urged the board to require a needs assessment and conditions for disbursing new county funds intended to support emergency medical services.

Scott Kueser, a Harcourt council member and longtime public-safety trainer, said a flat $10,000 distribution to non-transport services and set amounts to transport services risks leaving some communities without trained responders or critical equipment. “My feeling is that should not just go out as an all time check to the people,” Kueser said, arguing that funds should instead be allocated based on demonstrated needs, staffing and equipment shortfalls.

Kueser described disparities in local capacity: some towns lack trained first responders and rely on distant transport services, which can be delayed by road conditions or construction. He cited equipment costs — a Lucas automated CPR device, for example, can cost about $17,000 — and training costs (he cited an EMT course figure of about $2,200) as items that smaller departments struggle to finance.

A board representative replied that county officials and an advisory group have been working on how disbursements will operate and that conversations with agencies, legal counsel and training partners are ongoing. “I’ve been talking to Darren quite a bit, our county attorney, working with the agencies. You know, we’ve had a lot of conversations and they’ll continue to have conversations,” a supervisor said, noting the county has not yet received funds and that the county is participating on advisory committees, including Iowa Central’s EMS advisory committee.

Kueser asked for a formal needs assessment and cautioned against distributing money without performance or capability expectations in place. Board staff said advisory discussions will continue and that a process for disbursements is being developed; no formal disbursement policy was approved at the meeting.