Council holds first-aid contribution at $40,000 after presentation from volunteer squad

Council members reviewed the administration’s recommended $40,000 municipal contribution to the township’s volunteer first-aid organization and heard a detailed presentation from volunteer representatives about operations, costs and staffing.

Representatives described a mixed model of volunteer and county-supported coverage: the county provides no-cost daytime shared service in some periods, while the first-aid organization covers other shifts and relies on fundraising, donations and local contributions for vehicle purchases, maintenance, fuel and supplies. Volunteers said they buy and maintain their ambulances, supply disposable medical equipment, and run community events to raise funds. They noted rising equipment costs and lengthy lead times for new ambulances.

Administratively, the council considered whether to fund a paid weekend component or rely on the county’s no-cost coverage for weekday daytime service. The volunteers said the county offers a no-cost weekday service but that a paid weekend option had been discussed as a possible expansion to improve availability. The council asked for staffing, response and financial data; volunteers provided multi-year tax-return-based income/expense summaries and described how mutual-aid operations are recorded.

After discussion, council members left the contribution at the administration’s recommended $40,000 and signaled they were comfortable with the current combination of county shared service and volunteer coverage. One council member stated explicitly that they were “okay with the 40” during the budget review.

Nut graf: The contribution maintains current municipal support for the volunteer first-aid organization while the council weighs whether to add paid coverage for weekends or expand partnerships with nearby paid services. Volunteers emphasized their reliance on donations and the rising cost of ambulances and supplies.

Clarifying details - Contribution amount: $40,000 (administration recommendation; council kept this figure during budget review). (Source: budget discussion and confirmation at meeting.) - Shared service: county provides no-cost daytime coverage in some shifts; volunteers cover nights/weekends and other local events. (Source: first-aid representatives.) - Volunteer staffing trends: the squad reported many younger volunteers currently in school and a seasonal pattern as students return in late spring; the squad is recruiting and training EMRs/EMTs. - Major equipment costs: volunteers reported the most recent ambulance purchase was funded from their own fundraising; speakers cited recent ambulance prices in the high hundreds of thousands in current market conditions.

Outcome and next steps - The council retained the $40,000 contribution in the proposed 2025 budget and asked administration and the squad to continue coordinating on coverage details and statistics to inform any future decisions about paid weekend coverage.