Pflugerville asks Travis County for up to $600,000 to transition EMS to ESD 2

City of Pflugerville asked Commissioners Court on Aug. 14 to consider an earmark of up to $600,000 to help the city complete a transition from a private ambulance contractor to service provided by Travis County Emergency Services District (ESD) 2. Chuck Brotherton (Emergency Services) said Pflugerville currently pays about $1.3 million annually for four ambulances; ESD 2 has proposed to provide six ambulances (with surge capacity to eight during disasters) for $1.9 million in FY 2026. The city requested county assistance to cover the $600,000 difference. Chief Nick Perkins of ESD 2 was present and the court heard praise for ESD 2's operational record from multiple commissioners; those speakers supported a public EMS model for long-term service quality. Brotherton and commissioners also noted a county-commissioned consultant study of ambulance service and funding (a 12-month engagement expected to report in late FY 2026) that could inform any long-term county role. Commissioners discussed funding options: full-earmark, partial funding or one-time funding to bridge to the consultant's recommendations. Planning and Budget suggested the county could mark the request as a one-time earmark on the budget worksheet to allow further study before recurring commitments are made; Commissioner Shea asked that PBO label it explicitly as a one-time earmark if that is the court's preference. Why this matters: Emergency medical services are a time-sensitive public service; a transition from private to public provision will change both local operations and the county's budget exposure. Commissioners said the consultant's forthcoming report will be important to avoid unintended long-term costs and to assess countywide EMS strategy.