Weston County residents and officials weigh forming EMS taxing district to fund ambulances

Weston County officials, EMS representatives and residents met in Newcastle to discuss creating an EMS taxing district that could raise local property tax revenue to support ambulance service, equipment and staffing. County officials said forming a district would require a Board of County Commissioners’ resolution to create a governance board and would put any mill levy on the ballot for voter approval.

The discussion centered on how an EMS taxing district would work, how much it could raise and whether it would produce enough funding to sustain an ambulance locally. Speakers described a process in which the county forms the district by resolution, appoints an initial board (up to seven members), and the board then places a mill levy question before voters. The levy most often discussed at the meeting was 2 mills, with the legal maximum the speakers said could be taken to voters at up to 4 mills; presenters told attendees that 2 mills on a $100,000 home would be roughly $70 per year.

Brad McKee, who introduced himself as “Brad McKee, shift supervisor for EMS training and education at Campbell County Health,” outlined how…