Dearborn County Council approves $208,932 from EMS LIT to remount Morris Hill ambulance
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Summary
After hearing presentations from three local EMS entities, the council authorized $208,932 from the EMS local income tax fund to remount a Morris Hill ambulance, citing greatest immediate need for a unit operated by a service with no municipal tax base.
The Dearborn County Council on Nov. 24 approved $208,932 from the county's EMS local income tax (LIT) fund to remount an ambulance for Morris Hill Fire & EMS. The funding was approved by voice vote after presentations from multiple EMS providers and council discussion about limited remaining LIT resources.
Eric Stevens, who identified himself as assistant fire chief for Warsaw Fire and EMS, said Morris Hill has a 2009 ambulance with a patient compartment (the 'box') that still has service life but the chassis has motor issues. He said a remount—transferring the box to a new chassis—would cost $208,932 and that a new ambulance would cost about $314,711. Stevens said remount lead time is long (18–20 months) and that prior remounts have extended vehicle life by a decade or more.
Greendale EMS treasurer Andrew Brookbank and Greenhill EMS president Thomas Craig also described ambulance procurement challenges countywide: Brookbank said his department has set aside funds and received a $75,000 Community Foundation grant but still faces equipment and cot‑loading system costs; Craig explained a 2022 order that bumped from an original $275,000 quote to about $331,000 because of chassis shortages and tariffs, and warned of delivery deadlines tied to manufacturer timelines.
Speaker 2 and other council members stressed the EMS LIT's primary purpose has been to fund staffing following a county study, leaving only modest funds for equipment purchases. The comptroller projected a constrained year‑end balance, and council members said they could not meet all requests. Speaker 4 moved to prioritize Morris Hill, noting the unit serves a rural area without a municipal tax base; the motion passed by voice vote.
Council members and presenters emphasized the county's overall LIT strategy focuses first on payroll/staffing and that one‑time external grants or municipal contributions have been used to cover equipment when possible. The council’s action directs the appropriation from EMS LIT as requested; no roll‑call vote tally was recorded in the meeting transcript.
What happens next: staff will process the appropriation and coordinate with Morris Hill and the vendor to preserve quoted pricing and waitlists; the remount delivery was described as likely in mid‑2027 given production lead times.
