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Weston County commissioners set March 31 public hearing on proposed EMS taxing district
Summary
After a lengthy discussion and requests for public input, the board scheduled a public hearing for March 31, 2025 on a proposed emergency medical services (EMS) taxing district and authorized outreach to Newcastle and Upton councils to place informational items on their agendas.
The Weston County Board of County Commissioners voted to schedule a public hearing on a proposed EMS taxing district for Monday, March 31, 2025, at 6 p.m. at the Weston County Event Center.
The proposal, circulated as Resolution 2025-5, would create an EMS district with an initial taxing authority described in the draft resolution; the board emphasized that the meeting is intended to gather public comment before any final action. Commissioner discussion repeatedly framed the hearing as an opportunity for residents to weigh the tradeoffs between a dedicated local tax and the county's capacity to sustain current EMS services.
Commissioners asked county staff to send the proposed language and map to the Department of Revenue as part of the required notice and to arrange a set of informational appearances in Newcastle and Upton. The board asked the clerk to coordinate with the city of Newcastle and the town of Upton so the county could present the proposal at their next council meetings—planned outreach dates on the record were March 11 (Upton) and March 17 (Newcastle) to allow local officials and residents advance notice.
During debate commissioners said they wanted broad public engagement, including evening meetings in multiple locations, and suggested advertising multiple potential hearing dates to maximize attendance. The board rescinded an earlier, differently worded motion and replaced it with a plan to publish a proposed resolution, hold local informational sessions and then proceed with the March 31 public hearing; if the board declines to adopt the resolution after the required 60‑day process the proposed resolution would have no force.
Next steps: the county attorney will tweak the draft so it can be published in the legal notice, the clerk will coordinate publication and city/town presentations, and the board will hold the March 31 hearing as its formal public comment session before any final vote.
