Goodfellowship Ambulance asks West Chester for bigger municipal contribution as operating gap grows
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Summary
Goodfellowship Ambulance told council its operating loss has grown and asked for an increase to municipal funding and a new, updated funding contract; the service reported 2,281 dispatches in the borough over a 12‑month period and said its countywide per‑dispatch funding level remains below the county average.
Goodfellowship Ambulance, the region’s primary emergency medical services provider for West Chester Borough and surrounding municipalities, asked borough council on Tuesday to increase municipal funding and update the intermunicipal funding contract as its operating shortfall has risen steadily since the pandemic.
"Call volumes we're using for 2026 are 2,281 dispatches," Chaz (executive director, Goodfellowship Ambulance) told council. He said the service’s draft 2026 budget is about $6.2 million, which includes capital and operating costs; billing revenue from insurance and Medicare/Medicaid does not cover all operating expenses, leaving an annual operating gap that the agency seeks to close with municipal contributions, philanthropy and grants.
Nut graf: Goodfellowship said West Chester is a large consumer of its services and that municipal funding formulas based on population and call volume need updating; the ambulance agency urged a revised contract and additional borough support while councilors discussed options including an EMS tax and outreach to local institutions for contributions.
Goodfellowship presented several facts: its countywide study shows an average municipal funding/cost of about $172 per dispatch; West Chester’s current municipal funding equates to roughly $80 per dispatch, below the county average. The agency noted that vehicle and equipment costs have risen sharply and that insurers and carriers have narrowed options for EMS insurance, increasing premiums. Goodfellowship also said a recent major local philanthropic supporter concluded a multi‑year giving program that had provided roughly $350,000 in 2024.
Goodfellowship requested an updated municipal funding contract that would move away from a 50/50 split of the agency’s deficit across participating municipalities; the agency said the historic 50/50 approach no longer meets rising operating needs. Council and the agency discussed possible revenue sources: the borough manager and several councilors suggested pursuing an EMS tax (a payroll‑based tax capped at $52 in Pennsylvania), seeking increased contributions from partner institutions, and exploring whether borough parking or other existing revenues could be reallocated. One councilor said adopting an EMS tax would create a steady revenue stream; others warned of political difficulty and noted some nonprofits and government‑owned properties in the borough are non‑taxable.
Quotations and sourcing: Figures and program descriptions above were given by Goodfellowship’s executive director during the council work session. The borough manager noted the preliminary 2026 budget does not yet include the agency’s additional requested increase; councilors moved the preliminary budget to the next (voting) session for formal action and agreed to place the ambulance funding request on the voting session agenda for further discussion.
Ending: Councilors expressed general support for securing stable EMS funding and asked administration to bring options — including the logistics of an EMS tax, potential millage adjustments, and outreach to institutions — back for the formal budget discussion.
