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Mitchell officials outline ambulance district plan for Davidson and Hanson counties; April 22 public vote set
Summary
Mitchell Fire/EMS leaders described a proposed joint ambulance district covering Davidson and Hanson counties and said a April 22 public referendum will decide whether to create a taxing or assessment-based funding stream to hire six full-time ambulance staff.
Mitchell — Mitchell Fire and EMS officials told the City Council on April 14 that they have organized a proposed ambulance district that would cover all of Davidson County and Hanson County and that the district formation will go to a public vote April 22.
The proposal, presented by Amy Storm, who works part-time with Mitchell and volunteers as an EMT, asks voters to approve a funding mechanism to raise roughly $700,000 so the department can hire six additional ambulance personnel. "We need to raise the money to hire 6 additional people to work at the station," Storm said during the council briefing.
The proposal is the product of four months of outreach to both county commissions and all towns within the two counties. If the April 22 vote passes, county resolutions already prepared would create a seven-member ambulance board (three Hanson County appointees, three Davidson County appointees and one at-large member); the next step would be a second vote, currently scheduled for June 17, to elect board members and then prepare a budget by June 30 under state timelines.
Why it matters: Mitchell currently budgets nearly $1 million a year from the general fund toward ambulance service and covers about 8,000 residents outside the city limits. Officials said the city struggles to meet state licensing response-time standards; one out-of-town call last year produced a 34-minute response delay, and state rules expect 90% of calls to be answered within 15 minutes. Without a sustainable funding source, the department warned it may stop covering calls outside city limits.
Funding options and timeline: Storm and other presenters said the new district board will decide between a property tax levy based on valuation or a special-assessment flat-fee model. The application to form the district and initial budget work must meet a June 30 deadline if the April 22 vote passes. Storm said multiple town halls have produced growing local support but also noted there are opponents; county boards already passed resolutions to place the question on the ballot.
Equipment and operating context: Chief Dan Polarize explained the funding request is aimed at personnel, not equipment, though the council heard cost figures for vehicles and equipment. "For us to get a new ambulance, we're probably looking at about $400,000," Polarize said, adding that vehicle equipment typically totals roughly $100,000 more (the cardiac monitor alone can cost about $50,000). Storm and Polarize said the immediate priority is staffing rather than new apparatus.
If voters reject the district: Council members and presenters said a "no" vote would likely mean the Mitchell ambulance service would stop routine coverage outside the city limits; volunteers and mutual-aid partners could fill some gaps but officials said sustained outside coverage would be unlikely without the new funding. Storm said the department met with state EMS staff to review options and was told formation is a local decision.
Next steps: The City Council received the update and did not take final action; the community referendum is scheduled April 22. If that referendum passes, nomination petitions for the ambulance board will follow and the board must meet an accelerated state-imposed timeline to set the first district budget.
