Court authorizes budget increase to EMS uncompensated-care fund to cover community paramedic position

Williamson County EMS Director John Gonzales told commissioners that a vacancy in the community health paramedic program had been filled by an internal promotion, but funding that had supported the position for FY25 had been swept at year-end and needed to be restored so the county could move the promoted employee into the position as planned.

Gonzales explained the sequence: the offer to promote was made during the prior fiscal year when funds were available, but the year-end sweep removed those funds. ‘‘When that excess was swept, the PCM was refunded back at 82,000 in January,’’ Gonzales said, and EMS requested moving the funding back into the FY25 budget so the hire could be absorbed by the separate uncompensated-care fund.

County auditor staff clarified that the dollars involved are tracked in the uncompensated-care reimbursement fund, which had been tracked historically through the tobacco fund but is now maintained in its own separate fund. Auditor Julie Kiley confirmed the adjustment would not affect the county general fund or tax rate because the account is a separate fund.

Commissioners asked staff to review budgeting and payroll processes to reduce the likelihood of similar sweeps in the future; the court asked HR, audit and budget staff to coordinate a policy-level fix. The court approved the requested budget increase for PCN 1642 (uncompensated-care fund) by voice vote (motion carried 5–0).

Speakers quoted in this article come from the Nov. 4, 2025 Commissioners Court transcript.