Holmes County votes to move EMS under sheriff; approves grants, payroll payouts and emergency road funds

The Holmes County Board of County Commissioners approved moving the county’s emergency medical services into the sheriff’s office starting April 1 and cleared several related and separate administrative actions during a lengthy meeting that also addressed grants, road emergency funding and a dispute over county "rain time" leave.

The board voted to transfer day-to-day EMS administration to the sheriff’s department and directed staff to prepare a resolution formalizing the intergovernmental change; the resolution will be approved at the next board meeting. Commissioners said the move is intended to streamline purchasing and billing, take advantage of existing sheriff’s-office contracts and pursue revenue improvements the sheriff’s office and neighboring counties reported after similar consolidations.

Why it matters: County officials said consolidating EMS under the sheriff may speed procurement, reduce operating cost through existing contracts and allow the county to pursue expanded billing and service models. County staff and the sheriff described potential insurance and payroll transitions, and agreed on a target start date of April 1 to align pay-period and insurance renewal timing.

Board actions and other business

- Housing grant and CDBG: County staff reported an executed amendment to a CDBG grant and that the county can now submit a payment request for asbestos abatement work at the Council on Aging. The board authorized County Coordinator David Corbin to sign a letter requesting a one-year extension on a related housing grant so work will not be delayed if state paperwork runs late.

- E-911 and cybersecurity grants: The board approved a group of routine technology grant renewals and applications for the public-safety communications center including renewals/requests involving ConvergeOne (annual core services and a migration/project-management application that includes Motorola work), an Esri GIS mapping renewal, a Mission Critical Partners services renewal and a firewall/cybersecurity maintenance item. Staff presented dollar amounts for several line items during the meeting; the board approved submission/renewal motions.

- EMS payroll and PTO payout: The commission approved a one-time payout for certain accrued PTO for EMS employees tied to a PTO/"rain time" reconciliation. The board directed that remaining balances of the county’s legacy "rain time" bank be converted into standard PTO balances so employees retain the value they had accrued; the board also agreed to delay implementing a new admin-leave policy until Oct. 1 to allow staff time to complete policy drafts and inform employees.

- Emergency road repair: Commissioners approved moving $20,000 in contingency funds into Commissioner Johnson’s road budget to cover immediate costs for a collapsed pipe on Highway 163 (reported as a 30-inch pipe replaced by a 36-inch), with staff to return with final invoices and any additional asphalt or engineering costs.

- Drainage study closeout: The board accepted final engineering plans and cost estimates for the North 79 / North Dale drainage study developed under a Florida Commerce grant, authorized the grant closeout and asked staff to pursue state/federal funding options for the larger regional work outlined in the report (estimated in the engineering report at roughly the low millions for comprehensive regional improvements).

- Fleet fuel-management pilot tabled: After discussion about an auxiliary fuel-tank/fleet tracking system for road foremen, the board tabled the item indefinitely citing current budget constraints and questions about long-term maintenance costs.

Board discussion and community concerns

Public commenter Richard Wilson asked about an outstanding county reimbursement from the local development commission related to a loan on the Mission on the Busy Bee property; staff said they had received documents and would follow up.

A separate, extended discussion covered a recently purchased tract of county-owned shoreline property where commissioners debated gate options, sticker permits and fees to control nonresident use. Staff were asked to return with pricing options for stickers, potential resident and nonresident fees, and enforcement approaches that could include signage or camera monitoring.

The meeting also included updates on the Bonifay–Chipley road paving work and other ongoing construction projects. Engineering staff said contractors are moving large amounts of clay material and that weather-related workability is slowing pavement progress; the board asked staff to press contractors and the city for coordination on utility relocations that affect paving.

What the board will do next

Staff were asked to prepare a formal intergovernmental resolution to effect the EMS transfer for approval at the next meeting, to provide cost estimates and procurement options for striping and the gate/sticker proposals, and to circulate a draft admin-leave policy for consideration before the Oct. 1 implementation date. The county coordinator and department heads were also asked to pursue grant rounds this fall for the North 79 drainage work.

Ending: Commissioners emphasized that several of these items depend on outside approvals—state grant cycles, insurance renewals and utility relocations—and that staff will bring formal documents and cost estimates back to the board for final votes.