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Chase County EMS asks for modest pay increase, capital planning and sale of old ambulance; commissioners keep capital outlay unchanged
Summary
County EMS sought a $1-per-hour raise for an assistant director, modest contractual/commodity increases, and a larger capital outlay reserve to plan ambulance replacements; commissioners favored keeping the capital outlay at the current $25,000 and directed the county to list an older ambulance for auction with proceeds to the equipment fund.
Chase County’s emergency medical services director briefed the county commissioners on ambulance staffing, equipment planning and short-term vehicle needs during the June 9 budget hearing.
The EMS director requested a $1-per-hour pay increase for assistant director Kara (Kiara) Gadbury, citing expanded duties since her January start. The director described the raise as the primary driver of a small personnel increase and said contractual and commodity budgets were only slightly higher than last year because recent spending trends have been below budget.
On capital planning, the director recommended increasing the annual capital outlay contribution from $25,000 to $50,000 to shorten the replacement cycle for ambulances, estimating that at $50,000 per year the county could accumulate roughly $300,000 in six years. County commissioners and staff discussed the proposal and the existing county equipment fund; the clerk reminded the group a county equipment fund is already available and several commissioners said keeping the current $25,000 contribution was the more prudent option for now. No formal vote was taken to change the capital outlay line.
The director also reported an older ambulance that has not started recently — likely due to battery issues and other age-related wear — and asked permission to list it for sale. Commissioners directed staff to start the process of listing that vehicle on Purple Wave and to place sale proceeds into the ambulance equipment fund (fund 016), per the director’s request.
Staff discussed replacement timelines: vendors estimated 18 months to three years for new custom ambulances; the director said lead times and supply issues make multi-year planning necessary. The director also said recent grant awards and equipment purchases (monitor, chest compression device) have reduced near-term capital needs.
Training and staffing: The director requested permission to send staff member Sarah to the Kansas state EMS conference in Manhattan (three days; estimated cost under $1,000). Commissioners approved sending her and directed staff to schedule coverage.
No formal budget appropriation was adopted at the June 9 hearing; department requests will be considered in ongoing budget work sessions.
Key decisions/directions - Commissioners directed staff to list the older ambulance for auction on Purple Wave and to deposit proceeds into the ambulance equipment fund. - Commissioners granted approval for Sarah to attend the state EMS conference in Manhattan (estimated cost under $1,000). - Commissioners discussed but did not adopt an increase to the ambulance capital outlay; the current $25,000-per-year contribution will remain under consideration during budget review.
