Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ems topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Schertz EMS warns of structural shortfall; staff to ask participating jurisdictions for 35/5/5 contribution increase
Summary
City EMS staff said the regional enterprise fund has run down net position and cash and that a proposed participant increase — 35% first year, then 5% and 5% — would be needed to avoid ongoing negative cash balances. Staff described causes including loss of balance‑billing revenue and higher personnel costs.
City staff told the council that Schertz’s regional EMS enterprise fund has experienced declining net position and narrowing cash balances and that additional revenue from all participating jurisdictions will be required to sustain service levels.
"We are in a situation where additional funding would be required to maintain the same level of service," Jason said during the retreat while explaining the enterprise fund model and cost distribution among participating cities and special districts. Staff said the fund’s net position declined in the 2024 close by about $1.2 million and that increases to transport/user fees earlier this year were expected to add roughly $1.2 million in revenue but would not fully close the gap.
Why it matters: Schertz participates in a consolidated, multi‑jurisdictional EMS service area (roughly 30 square miles and a service population cited as 60,000+) where about 33% of revenues come from participant contributions. Staff said 76% of total EMS expenditures are personnel costs, which limits non‑personnel savings.
What staff presented
- Revenues and costs: Staff showed that user fees (ambulance billing) generate the largest revenue stream but that an offsetting gap remains between billings and what insurers and programs pay. Staff said recent state legislation limiting balance billing (identified in the presentation as Senate Bill 2476) reduced the ability to collect differences that previously offset costs.
- Proposed participant ask: Staff presented a proposed ask to participants: a 35% increase in the first year and then two subsequent 5% increases (35/5/5). For Schertz that translates to roughly $276,000 additional contribution under the proposal; staff said the figure includes planned staffing additions in the FY plan (including an additional battalion chief to transition from 24‑hour to 12‑hour supervision patterns).
- Operational constraints: Staff said that EMS is personnel‑heavy (about 76% of costs) and that some structural drivers include the class and comp changes that reduced vacancies but raised personnel costs, changes in shift schedules (24‑hour to 12‑hour) and the loss of balance‑billing revenue. Staff discussed options to pursue other revenue (interfacility transfers) but noted that using ambulances for transfers can reduce 9‑1‑1 availability and that mutual aid fills gaps when ambulances are unavailable.
Next steps and outreach
Staff said Jason will meet with all participating cities and entities and present the proposed contract amendments and the funding ask; staff scheduled a participant meeting for April 22 to discuss the proposal and said mayors and city managers will be invited. The presentation included schedule data showing periods with limited ambulance availability and a projection that the 35/5/5 path would restore a nonnegative cash trajectory rather than leave the enterprise fund in deficit.
Ending
Council members expressed support for the shared‑service approach but emphasized the need to manage expectations and to communicate clearly with partners. Staff said they will continue to scrub for efficiencies but warned that personnel makes up the bulk of the budget and that a participant contribution change is the most direct way to stabilize the fund.
