Commissioners push for vehicle replacement plan, separate capital account and clearer tech replacement line

Commissioners told ambulance district staff they need a clear plan and separate account for capital purchases and vehicle replacement, and urged the creation of a technology replacement line to track radios and on‑vehicle computers.

Commissioners noted many ambulances are out of warranty and reaching high mileage; routine repairs and large maintenance items are increasing. One commissioner said the statute requires a capital improvement account for capital purchases and recommended the district evaluate whether to segregate interest and principal into a vehicle reserve. Staff said their bank account currently earns interest (Umpqua cited at about 3.56% during the meeting), and that, if balances and rates hold, the district would have roughly $42,000 in interest by Sept. 30 at current levels.

Why it matters: commissioners want predictable replacement funding rather than ad hoc spending. They asked the district to identify high‑cost, known replacement items (for example radios estimated at about $5,000 for a handheld that supports 700 MHz integration) and to estimate annual replacement needs so those costs can be budgeted rather than absorbed unpredictably.

Staff and commissioners agreed to add a technology/communications replacement line, document the number of radios and computers, provide average replacement cycles, and consult the statute about whether the capital improvement account must be labelled specifically as such. No formal vote was taken; staff will bring back a revised draft with the recommended lines and supporting notes.