Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ambulance Service topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Oshkosh council directs staff to end regional ambulance contract at end of 2025, negotiate one-year deals with nearby towns
Summary
Facing chronic staffing shortages and rising costs, the Oshkosh Common Council voted unanimously to direct city staff to end the existing multi-municipality ambulance agreement at the end of 2025 and pursue a one-year contract with contiguous towns for 2026 while exploring longer-term joint-service options.
The Oshkosh Common Council on June 24 directed city staff to terminate the existing regional ambulance service agreement effective Dec. 31, 2025, and to negotiate a separate one‑year contract for 2026 with adjacent municipalities Algoma, Nakamai, and Black Wolf while studying longer-term joint-service options.
Council members said the move responds to persistent staffing shortfalls that have left the city unable to hire paramedics and that have stretched Oshkosh Fire Department resources. City Manager Rebecca told the council, “we're not going to be able to provide the service past the end of this year,” and described failed hiring efforts after the council approved a fourth ambulance and eight additional firefighter positions to staff it.
The direction follows public comment from Frank Percetto, who identified himself as town chairman of Black Wolf and a county supervisor, and who said surrounding municipalities formed the Southern Winnebago Emergency Medical Service District to preserve regional service while negotiating contract terms. Percetto told the council the district seeks a partnership with Oshkosh “to make sure that we continue the relationship, we continue the dialogue, and also trying to solve some of the challenges” in staffing and finances.
Council members emphasized that the decision is driven by operational and safety concerns inside Oshkosh city limits rather than solely by funding. One council member noted the discrepancy in prior per‑capita charges for services to outlying towns, saying Oshkosh residents had effectively been subsidizing past arrangements. The city manager confirmed the then-current contract runs through 2026 and includes a 90‑day out clause, which staff said is impractical given immediate staffing constraints; the council asked staff to prepare a resolution for the next meeting reflecting the direction given.
City staff will attempt to negotiate a 2026 agreement that would cover only municipalities contiguous to Oshkosh (identified in the meeting as Algoma, Nakamai, and Black Wolf) and will research options beyond 2026 such as a joint fire/EMS district and potential state innovation grants that support shared services.
The council’s unanimous verbal poll (Larson: yes; Spannbauer: yes; Yulo: yes; Stevenson: yes; Mugwower: yes) provided the direction; a formal resolution to implement the termination and negotiation strategy was expected to be drafted for a future meeting.
Council members and staff said any change would be preceded by further negotiations with the affected municipalities and that continued service to immediately contiguous towns might be preserved under new terms for 2026 only. Staff and the council also flagged that any long-term change would require broader regional discussion and likely additional planning and grant applications.
The action does not itself terminate or amend the written contract; it directed staff to pursue termination effective Dec. 31, 2025, and to return with formal documents and recommendations to the council.
