Ulster County legislators postpone competing EMS funding plans while approving targeted local contracts and equipment grants

Ulster County legislators on April 2 postponed two competing resolutions that would provide millions for emergency medical services (EMS) while approving smaller, targeted measures intended to provide more immediate coverage and equipment support.

Legislator Jason Kovacs, sponsor of a revised legislative resolution proposing $4,532,000 in one-time county funding for EMS, said the amendment reduced an earlier $5 million proposal and split the $4,532,000 “$2,000,000 to the towns, the balance to the ALS agencies.” He told the committee the resolution ties continued payments to measurable service improvements and requires recipients to submit detailed plans and sign intermunicipal agreements.

The county executive’s competing resolution would concentrate $2,800,000 on core advanced life support (ALS) agencies and $1,600,000 allocated by a three-part formula (call volume, population, assessed value) to municipalities or providers. Deputy County Executive (name not specified) and Department of Emergency Services staff argued that concentrating readiness funding with six core ALS providers and developing regional response capacity would be a more sustainable approach than dispersing funds to individual towns.

Lawmakers pressed for faster results for underserviced rural areas. Legislator Maloney said he favored immediate county-run options for the most rural locations unless contractors could produce quick, demonstrable improvements: “If we’re gonna do it, I want immediate results... I don’t want it even possibility to continue,” he said. Kovacs and others said the amended legislative resolution allows funding to go directly to third-party EMS providers, not solely to towns, and includes conditions for basic life support (BLS) agencies to qualify under strict conditions.

After extended debate and several members urging additional work to reconcile the two proposals, the committee voted to postpone both broad funding resolutions to continue negotiations. Legislator Clinton moved to postpone Resolution 102 (the Kovacs-sponsored resolution); the committee carried the motion with one recorded opposing voice. Legislator Peter Levine moved to postpone Resolution 156 (the executive-sponsored budget amendment); that motion also passed by committee voice vote.

At the same meeting the committee approved more limited, immediate actions intended to shore up local EMS capacity: - Resolution 157: an intermunicipal agreement with the Town of Gardiner to pass $55,000 to New Paltz Rescue for supplemental EMS readiness in the town. Director Matthew Erickson, Department of Emergency Communications and Emergency Management, said Gardiner budgeted the funds during last year’s budget season; the money is a pass-through to New Paltz Rescue to provide supplemental coverage. Legislator Clinton moved adoption; the committee approved the resolution by voice vote. - Resolution 158: a $500,000 capital project to establish an EMS equipment grant program for agencies to apply for monitors (ZOLL) and LUCAS chest-compression devices. Erickson said the grant program is intended to expand agency capabilities and reduce reliance solely on ALS providers. The committee adopted the capital project by voice vote.

Erickson and other staff described the county’s broader strategy as building a regional EMS system that includes readiness payments to agencies that commit to coverage areas and meet response-performance targets. Staff said readiness funds would pay for added ambulances and personnel up front, and agencies would receive incentive payments tied to response metrics such as a 95%+ ALS response rate in assigned areas. Erickson added the county is pursuing workforce development with SUNY Ulster — first-year EMT classes leading to a paramedic program — and a $2,000 work-study program to build staffing capacity.

Discussion in committee highlighted tensions over near-term versus long-term solutions. Proponents of the executive plan emphasized working through six well-performing ALS providers to scale coverage quickly; proponents of the Kovacs amendment emphasized accountability, intermunicipal agreements and funding flexibility, including limited support for BLS agencies under specified conditions. Several legislators urged that if one resolution is postponed the other should be postponed as well to encourage a single reconciled plan.

The committee also noted that the Gardiner agreement and equipment grants do not resolve countywide coverage gaps but are intended as immediate mitigation. Director Erickson said staff and county leaders are already talking with municipalities about forming EMS districts and other local funding mechanisms; he acknowledged the $55,000 figure supplied by Gardiner will likely grow in future years.

The committee will continue work on reconciling the two larger funding proposals and requested additional outreach and parameters to guide future pass-through requests so the county can equitably evaluate similar requests from other towns.

Votes at a glance - Resolution 102 (Kovacs) — amend 2025 Ulster County policy to fund/augment EMS ($4,532,000 as amended): Motion to postpone adopted by committee (voice vote; one recorded opposed). Outcome: postponed. - Resolution 156 (Executive) — amending 2025 budget to provide EMS funding (proposal allocating $2,800,000 to ALS agencies and $1,600,000 by formula): Motion to postpone adopted by committee. Outcome: postponed. - Resolution 157 — intermunicipal agreement with Town of Gardiner for supplemental EMS services (pass-through $55,000 to New Paltz Rescue): Adopted by committee (voice vote). Outcome: approved. - Resolution 158 — establish capital project for EMS equipment, $500,000 for agency grants (ZOLL monitors, LUCAS devices): Adopted by committee (voice vote). Outcome: approved.

What’s next The committee postponed the two countywide funding resolutions to give legislators and executive staff time to reconcile differences. Staff said they are continuing talks with municipalities and providers on EMS districts, readiness payment parameters and workforce programs; the committee asked for additional details and parameters to guide future funding pass-throughs.