EMS budget largely balanced but assistant‑director pay request sparks council split

EMS Director Steven presented the 2026 EMS budget and defended a requested pay increase for an assistant‑director position. The department operates two funds: an operational fund driven by EMS billing revenue and an EMS income‑tax fund (local option). Most line items are split across the two funds. Steven described cost‑savings and operational improvements driven by recent staffing changes — in 2024 the department reduced overtime from about $277,000 in earlier years to roughly $125,000 year‑to‑date as additional paramedic positions were added. He said three new full‑time paramedic positions are expected to reduce overtime further; several paramedic students are near graduation and two have multi‑year contracts with the county. The budget includes increased line items for medical supplies, oxygen, vehicle maintenance and replacement of radios and cardiac monitors; Steven said he hopes to secure a grant to replace portable radios and described a forthcoming ZOLL cardiac monitor upgrade under contract. The most contentious item was a classification and pay request for an assistant director role. The position had been reclassified through the classification committee; Steven said the assistant director’s responsibilities exceed those of a shift supervisor and that promotion to assistant director presently would represent a pay cut for that employee unless the council raised the assistant‑director salary above the supervisor level. Steven argued the pay adjustment was needed to retain and reward staff with high on‑call demands and specialized responsibilities. Council discussion was split: some members said the salary survey should remain the primary guide; others said EMS is a special case because statewide market forces for paramedics and competitive recruitment justify exceptions. The council conducted an informal consensus check and recorded a 4–3 vote in favor of leaving the assistant‑director pay at the level presented in the draft budget; no formal appropriation vote was taken. Nut graf: The EMS budget shows steady revenue growth but the assistant‑director pay request highlighted a broader county debate over exceptions to a standard salary survey for mission‑critical jobs. Ending: The council left the EMS budget item and assistant‑director pay in the draft for final budget readings, asked EMS to provide additional market data on regional pay comparisons, and scheduled the overall compensation discussion for a later budget work session.