Weston County officials discuss forming EMS taxing district to shore up ambulance staffing and equipment

Weston County commissioners and emergency medical officials discussed forming a countywide ambulance taxing district under a 2023 state statute, saying local revenue is needed to sustain round-the-clock paramedic coverage, recruit and retain staff and pay for aging equipment.

The discussion came during a public meeting and follow-up public hearing at the Weston County Senior Center. A Weston County commissioner opened the conversation by noting, “There’s a state statute created in 2023 that allows us as board of commissioners to create a ambulance district.”

Why it matters: County and regional EMS officials said current funding and volunteer staffing levels do not cover the cost of operating a staffed paramedic ambulance around the clock across Weston County’s large rural area, and that limited transport revenues and reimbursement rates leave local providers running deficits.

Shane Kirsch, a Campbell County Health EMS representative who has worked with regional services, told attendees that “it costs about $1.1 million to $1.4 million a year to staff a paramedic-level ambulance 24/7, 365 days a year here.” He said the county receives roughly $135,000–$137,000 annually to operate the local 9-1-1 ambulance, and that billing for transports offsets only a portion of costs because crews transport patients on about 67% of responses. “We have, on average, about a 67% transport ratio,” Kirsch said.

Kirsch and other speakers described several cost pressures: base chassis and outfitting for a Type I ambulance have risen into the low‑hundreds of thousands (Kirsch gave a current base price around $330,000, up from about $268,000 in 2023), replacement lead times measured in years, and annual operating costs beyond staffing for maintenance, equipment and training. Kirsch also described a recently completed regional EMS needs assessment, paid for in part by Campbell County Health, and said the assessment’s phase‑one results will be delivered in roughly 60 days; the assessment cost was about $50,000 with Campbell County Health sharing roughly $5,000 of that expense.

Supporters said a taxing district would create a local revenue mechanism to provide a reliable match for federal and state grants, to pay for local training and to stabilize staffing and equipment. Kirsch said having a funding mechanism strengthens grant applications and local leverage. He also urged community involvement in recruitment: the county is hosting a free EMT class with 23 slots, and Kirsch encouraged residents to consider training.

Concerns from residents focused on taxes, equity and service boundaries. Multiple attendees worried about added property tax burdens and whether large landowners or residents in adjacent counties would be taxed differently. One attendee described a family medical emergency to underscore the stakes, saying, “Every second feels like an hour” when ambulances are delayed in rural areas. Commissioners and speakers repeatedly stressed that formation of a district would not immediately create a large pooled fund: it can take time for revenues to accumulate and for a board to decide allocations.

Process and next steps described at the meeting: a county resolution would create an appointed ambulance district board (statutory guidance limits the board to not fewer than five and not more than nine members, according to discussion). That board would inventory needs, propose funding levels (mills), and — if it chooses — place a mill levy measure on a subsequent ballot. County staff told attendees the county has already held a public hearing on the issue and that state law requires a waiting period (discussed in the meeting as 60 days) before further action; several commissioners said they wanted more community education before any ballot measure.

No formal vote or ordinance was recorded at the meeting. One commissioner said, “I don’t see any downside for the commission to authorize the creation of the board,” but the comment did not constitute a recorded decision; commissioners instead described a deliberative next phase of education, board appointment if the county moves forward by resolution, and further study by the appointed board.

Speakers also discussed operational details and tradeoffs: volunteers remain an important part of rural coverage but are not a sustainable sole solution, and paid staffing and the need to maintain certification, training and equipment drive up costs. Kirsch described reimbursement realities, saying insurers and government payers often reimburse a fraction of billed ambulance charges (Medicare and Medicaid were described by speakers as paying substantially less than private insurers), which leaves providers dependent on local subsidies and other revenue.

What to expect: commissioners and EMS officials said they will share the EMS needs‑assessment results when they are available, continue community outreach and consider whether to proceed with a resolution to create an ambulance district and appoint a governing board. Campbell County Health representatives offered to provide technical assistance, training information and grant‑matching advice.

Contact and resources mentioned at the meeting: attendees were told about an upcoming free EMT class (23 slots) and that Campbell County Health can be contacted for training and grant information.