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Commissioners agree to fund ambulance purchase with $75,000 from county and balance from opioid funds
Summary
After debate about cost-sharing and city participation, the committee approved $75,000 from the general fund and directed the remainder of a $208,608 ambulance purchase to opioid-abatement funds, resulting in a combined county commitment of $208,608.
The Hamblen County Budget Committee agreed to contribute $75,000 from the county general fund toward the purchase of a new ambulance and to seek the balance of the estimated $208,608 purchase price from opioid-abatement funds, after discussion about city participation and possible alternative funding sources.
Commissioners and staff discussed options for funding the $208,608 capital purchase for Emergency Medical Services, including drawing on last year's opioid-abatement allocations and splitting the expense with the city or other grant sources. County administrators noted EMS responds to roughly 12,000 calls annually, about 3,000 of which occur in the county outside the city, and characterized the purchase as a capital need similar to funding given to volunteer fire departments.
Commissioner Bobby Hahn moved to provide $75,000 from the county general fund; Commissioner Kyle Walker seconded. Hahn said the county's past practice of supporting volunteer emergency services made the request appropriate: "I'm going to make a motion that we provide $75,000." Commissioners debated whether the city had been asked to contribute; county staff said they had not received a firm response from municipal leaders.
Following votes to amend how the remaining balance would be covered, the committee recorded a roll-call vote approving the $75,000 from the general fund and directing $133,608 to be paid from opioid-abatement funds to complete the purchase. A commissioner noted this county contribution was intended as a one-time capital payment rather than an ongoing commitment.
The EMS vendor total discussed in the meeting was $208,608. The committee discussed alternative sources and confirmed the commission has authority to allocate opioid-abatement funds. Commissioners asked county staff to supply a breakdown of city vs. county calls to further inform future funding discussions.
Action on the ambulance purchase followed debate over whether the city would contribute and how much capital support the county should provide to shared services. Commissioners stressed the purchase would support county- and city-served areas but emphasized the county's authority to decide allocations from its available funds.
