Hundreds of residents, volunteers and medical professionals urged the Cross Plains Village Board on July 28 to reject a proposal for the village to take over Cross Plains Area EMS, saying the change would harm local emergency coverage and the volunteer culture that sustains it.

The board did not vote to assume control of EMS. Instead, trustees and the village president described an ongoing process: the village finance committee prepared a review and expects to present options publicly before the board considers any formal governance change.

Why it matters: Cross Plains Area EMS serves the village and several surrounding townships. Commenters said the service combines volunteers, part‑time and full‑time staff and provides local training opportunities for students and medical trainees; opponents warned that a municipal takeover could dissolve the volunteer association, decrease local training opportunities and increase costs for the village and outlying towns.

Public comment: volunteers, clinicians and residents
At least three dozen speakers addressed the board in person or remotely. They included current EMS volunteers, full‑time EMS staff and community members who described personal experiences: quick volunteer responses in emergencies, training pathways for students and the role of the nonprofit EMS Association in purchasing critical equipment.

Katrina McKee, an ER nurse and volunteer EMT, said the takeover “undermines everything our community stands for” and argued the village’s finance representative had bypassed established grievance procedures and district agreements. Charles Pierce, the medical director for Cross Plains EMS, wrote in a letter read to the board that “CPEMS operates in a cost effective manner” and urged the village to support, not replace, the current model.

Chief and deputy chief responses
Chief Holly Ellickson, who has led the department for the past 18 months and been a member for 27 years, told trustees the recent budget increase cited by finance predated her tenure and was intended to bring wages closer to comparable agencies. She cited safeguards implemented after a prior embezzlement case and said internal audits and new checks and balances have been applied. Deputy Chief Brian Pitt said the department now has nearly 50 members and argued that replacing the current governance model risks losing staff and volunteer capacity.

Key numbers and governance issues
Speakers and documents cited several concrete points that informed the debate: the village’s share of the district budget reported in materials is about 58.4% (participants noted this sensitivity when discussing voting and representation on the district board). Commenters said the Cross Plains EMS Association, a 501(c)(3), contributed roughly $60,000 toward a new ambulance and has funded equipment purchases such as a mechanical CPR device and pediatric restraint systems. The record also contains mention of prior internal theft of roughly $36,000–$40,000 that prompted new controls; panelists said those issues have been audited and partly recovered through insurance.

Board response and next steps
Village leaders said the finance committee’s preliminary report compiles fiscal and governance information but does not mandate a takeover. Trustees directed staff and finance to organize stakeholder briefings and public community meetings so residents and the EMS district municipalities can review the committee’s findings and alternatives. The village president said finance will present a revised report at its August 4 meeting and that public safety and village board presentations will follow, with a community meeting planned for September. The board asked that an explicit “stay the same” option be included in the presentation materials.

What was not decided
No formal withdrawal from the EMS district or municipal takeover was approved. Several townships and district members indicated they had not agreed to let the village operate service in their jurisdictions; trustees and commenters warned that unilateral changes could reduce district revenue and require the village to assume higher costs.

Implications
Speakers said a municipal takeover could hasten staff departures, reduce student training opportunities, and increase response times or costs for residents outside the village if district towns do not contract with the village-run service. Trustees committed to host expanded briefings and to include the option to retain the current structure in the packet for community review before any formal vote.