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Richland County ambulance committee warns receivables surge has not translated into cash
Summary
Committee heard that about $400,000 recently posted to revenue was recorded as general‑fund revenue by the clerk and is not cash; receivables rose from roughly $60,000 to more than $300,000, prompting requests for clearer cash, balance‑sheet and billing reports.
At a meeting of the Richland County Ambulance Committee, staff and members said rising call volume and billing adjustments have produced large accounts receivable balances that have not improved the service’s cash position.
Committee members were told the service reported 1,008 runs year‑to‑date and that invoiced ambulance fees appear as roughly $662,000 on the income report. But some of that amount was posted to the county general fund during a vendor change and only later reallocated, leaving an unclear cash picture.
"That $400,000 is not $400,000 of cash. It's $400,000 of revenue," said Gordon (committee member), who identified himself as a retired business banker and urged the committee to obtain a true cash‑flow statement. "When you go from $60,000 receivables on Jan. 1 to over $300,000 in receivables in September, you have a serious cash problem."
Barbara (Service Director) said the new billing company initially supplied reports in a format that placed monies in a single account; staff later asked the clerk's office to transfer the amounts into the ambulance fund after the vendor provided the allocation detail. "They were putting it all in one, and they weren't breaking down the information and the money, like we needed it to be broken down," she said.
Committee members pressed for clearer, timely information. The billing report shows an ending accounts receivable that committee staff described as about $281,000 after insurance adjustments; staff and members repeatedly distinguished accounts‑receivable (revenue recognized) from cash on hand. Committee members asked the clerk's office to attend the next meeting to explain fund transfers and to provide a full balance sheet and monthly cash‑flow statements.
Members also discussed operational consequences: trustees noted vehicle maintenance costs, the need for a replacement ambulance (a quote in committee materials exceeded $300,000), and ongoing overtime and temporary‑staff costs. The director said budgeted personnel changes and tighter scheduling should reduce some temporary staffing costs next year, but the committee had not yet reconciled projected revenues with operating needs.
On billing practices, the director said the county’s new vendor provides quarterly statements but committee members requested monthly reports and asked the director to raise write‑off policies and collection practices in an upcoming call with the billing company. The committee also asked staff to confirm whether tax intercepts, prior‑year collections, and grant receipts that live outside the ambulance operating fund are being reported in ways the committee can use to evaluate cash sustainability.
Next steps: the committee asked for the county clerk or finance director to attend the next meeting with a clear cash‑flow statement, a fully itemized balance sheet, and a reconciliation that explains the $400,000 reclassification and the current cash position.
