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Commissioners told emergency services support fund faces a growing gap; LOSAP and ALS funding among top concerns
Summary
The board reviewed the Emergency Services Support Fund and heard that the fund's expenses exceed projected revenue by about $1 million in FY16; commissioners flagged long‑term LOSAP (Length of Service Award Program) liabilities and an ALS group's facility request as priority issues to address in follow-up work.
St. Mary's County commissioners reviewed the Emergency Services Support Fund on March 10 and were told FY16 budgeted expenses exceed revenues by about $1 million. Staff and volunteer representatives identified two pressing issues: ongoing funding for the Length of Service Award Program (LOSAP) for volunteers and support for an advanced life support (ALS) provider seeking a new facility and related engineering/design funds.
Staff described LOSAP as a growing long‑term liability. The actuarial ‘‘annual required contribution’’ for LOSAP is substantially larger than the trust contributions currently budgeted; commissioners were told the FY15 contribution understates the actuarial figure and that the total actuarial liability is sizable. "Either we continue to work at LOSAP and volunteers, or the other side is professional firefighting and rescue, which will be a lot more expensive," a commissioner observed.
Commissioners also discussed a request from an ALS provider for engineering and design funding (approximately $180,000 included in a department request) to pursue a new facility estimated at $2.5 million. Commissioners asked staff to review whether the ALS request should be funded from the emergency services support tax or handled through CIP or other financing approaches.
Next steps: Finance and emergency services staff will return with options to close the FY16 gap—potentially including revising the emergency services support tax rate or reallocating fund uses—and will provide more detailed actuarial LOSAP numbers and options for how to handle ALS capital needs.
