Gadsden County commissioners narrow budget choices on EMS, summer youth and nonprofit reserve

GADSDEN COUNTY — Gadsden County commissioners on Thursday held their sixth budget workshop and gave staff direction on several high-cost items that will shape the county’s proposed budget ahead of the tentative hearing.

Commissioners and staff focused on five topics: emergency medical services (EMS) planning and cost estimates, the summer youth employment program, property insurance premiums, a proposed nonprofit reserve fund and preliminary millage guidance. No final millage vote was taken; commissioners stated preferences and directed staff to prepare numbers under multiple scenarios for upcoming meetings.

The most immediate item was EMS. County staff and EMS leadership described a staffing plan that would add a shift and change pay structure. “When it’s all said and done, it would be about a $200,000 increase to what we are currently budgeted for,” said Mister Ford, an EMS representative who presented the plan. Ford and other staff told the board that EMS bills roughly $6 million on paper but, after Medicare, Medicaid and bad-debt adjustments, net collections have been closer to $3.5 million — meaning the balance is covered by transfers from the county’s general fund.

Why it matters: County staff estimated the EMS operation will require a budget in the roughly $5.0–$5.1 million range if the proposal is adopted. Commissioners raised questions about call volume, local comparators and whether the staffing changes would reduce overtime and burnout. Commissioners asked staff to supply salary and call-volume comparisons with at least three peer counties; Ford and staff said they could provide those numbers by the end of the next business day and update budget projections for the next workshop.

On youth services, the commission settled on a working budget figure for the summer youth employment program after extensive discussion of past enrollment and hourly pay. Finance Officer Rose Brenan summarized the program’s prior funding history and said the $350,000 figure had previously been used to fund roughly 125–130 students. Commissioners considered other proposals and outside partners: the YMCA told commissioners it could operate aspects of the program to reduce administrative overhead, and some commissioners asked staff to explore public–private partnerships and possible cost-sharing with local municipalities and the school district.

“Let’s set that number and stick to it,” Commissioner Simpkins said during the discussion, urging a firm cap. Several commissioners agreed; staff was directed to budget $350,000 for the summer youth program and to work with human resources and any partner organizations to firm up rules and projected head counts.

Insurance costs were also discussed in detail. Finance Officer Rose Brenan said insurance premiums for the 2025–26 policy year are higher than last year but not as high as early worst-case projections. Brenan told the board the county’s property and liability premiums are rising for several coverages (liability, automotive liability, physical damage and workers’ compensation) and that the combined effect for non-health insurance lines is about a 9% increase. She said total premiums for 2025–26 are projected at roughly $2,255,000, up from just over $2,000,000 last year, and noted the county’s named-storm deductible for property remains at 5%.

On nonprofit funding, commissioners debated setting aside a line item or temporarily pausing discretionary nonprofit grants because of tightening revenue prospects. Several commissioners said they wanted a defined application process and criteria rather than ad‑hoc awards. The board settled on a budgetary placeholder: commissioners directed staff to set aside $200,000 as a nonprofit reserve in the draft budget and to return with proposed policy and an application process. The commission also discussed the Gadsden County Development Council (GCDC) and economic-development priorities; some members recommended carving a portion of the reserve toward GCDC or other targeted economic-development activities, and staff was asked to return recommendations.

Millage guidance: Commissioners discussed possible millage scenarios but did not adopt a formal rate at the workshop. County staff confirmed the budget packet before the board had been prepared using the current 9-mill rate. Commissioners expressed varied informal preferences, with one suggesting a possible ceiling of 9.2 mills to cover additional items and another preferring rollback toward about 8.75 mills. County legal counsel advised that board members may state preferences in workshop settings but cannot formally vote on millage until the public hearing sequence.

Other budget items and next steps: Commissioners reiterated prior staff guidance that many budgets have already been pared to core operations and that additional reductions would likely require personnel cuts. Several commissioners emphasized completing a strategic plan and meeting with municipalities and school officials to coordinate youth and recreation efforts. Staff said they would return with updated numbers for EMS, a finalized summer youth proposal and the nonprofit reserve policy for the next workshop and the formal tentative budget hearing schedule.

Quotes in context: “It’s about a 9% increase in our whole, all of our insurance policies,” Finance Officer Rose Brenan told commissioners when summarizing premium changes. “You’re never going to break even on EMS,” Mister James, the county administrator, added in discussion of EMS billing and general-fund transfers.

The board did not take formal votes in the workshop. Staff was directed to prepare the requested comparisons and budget scenarios for the next workshop and for circulation ahead of the county’s tentative budget hearing schedule.