The Inyo County Board of Supervisors on June 24 approved an amendment extending through June 30, 2026, a cost‑sharing arrangement among Inyo County, the City of Bishop and the Bishop Paiute Tribe that subsidizes 9‑1‑1 ambulance service in the greater Bishop area.

Why it matters: The arrangement supports continued emergency medical services in Bishop while Inyo County and state regulators complete review of a request for proposals (RFP) intended to reestablish an exclusive contract for ambulance service. Without a subsidy and an operating provider the Bishop area could face service interruptions.

County Administrator Nick Greenberg briefed the board on the history: a long‑time provider gave notice in early 2023, prompting a short‑term provider and then the current provider, Reach Medical Services, to assume local 9‑1‑1 ambulance coverage. Reach has been operating under an evergreen transport contract while the county, the City of Bishop and the tribe have shared the ongoing monthly subsidy by population allocation.

Greenberg said the county and the local EMS agency (LEMSA, referenced in the meeting as IISMA/ISIMA) submitted a draft RFP and have received first‑round comments from the state; review and revision remain ongoing and the county does not yet have a timetable for final state approval and issuance of the RFP. Given that uncertainty, the amendment extends the existing cost‑share for one year to avoid a lapse in subsidy while the procurement proceeds.

Board members asked about related operational details such as department billing and the county’s prior obligation to volunteer fire departments; Greenberg said the county had authorized a floor of $15,000 and a cap of $35,000 per volunteer department for certain mutual‑aid costs and that the county intends to address those figures in the upcoming budget process.

The board voted to amend the cost‑sharing agreement and extend the expiration date to June 30, 2026, while staff continues to work with the local EMS agency and the state on the RFP process.