Consultants from FCS Group presented a preliminary ambulance utility rate study and three policy options to Sunnyside City Council, offering a range of choices for how much of EMS operating cost should be recovered through a monthly availability charge.

FCS summarized the analysis: they allocated shared fire/EMS costs from the city’s 2025 budget and projected EMS operating costs rising from about $4.65 million in 2025 to roughly $5.5 million by 2030 under inflation assumptions. The consultants separated recurring operating and maintenance expenses from capital costs (the latter excluded from rates under the statutory guidance cited in the presentation: “RCW 35 31 7 66” as referenced by staff).

The firm presented three rate scenarios for 2026:

• Scenario 1 (maintain 58% of the maximum allowable rate): $21.50 per billable unit/month in 2026 (rising modestly to $23.90 by 2030).
• Scenario 2 (use the general‑fund subsidy observed in staff budgeting as the subsidy marker): estimated customer rate $30.26/month in 2026 (plus roughly $6.88 in subsidy allocation).
• Scenario 3 (full cost recovery): roughly $37.13/month in 2026 and roughly $40–41 by 2030.

Fire Chief provided operational context: the five‑year call average is about 4,233 emergency calls per year, with 2025 projected around 4,370 — data the chief said indicates Sunnyside’s staff run far more calls per full‑time employee than comparably sized agencies. “Our five year call average over the last five years averages out to 4,233 emergency calls per year,” the chief said, noting the city’s calls per FTE far exceed those of comparable agencies.

FCS explained transport and contract revenues (e.g., a hospital agreement and other contracted revenue) offset some costs; the remaining costs would have to be recovered either through the monthly availability charge or by additional general‑fund subsidies. The city’s current monthly rate ($19 per billable unit) recovers about 58% of the maximum theoretical recovery calculated in the study.

Council members asked for the consultants’ models and the presentation slides (staff confirmed these are included in the meeting packet) and emphasized the need to weigh affordability for residents against the risk of depleting the EMS enterprise fund. Council asked staff to use the study as a set of bookends and to return with hybrid options and local impact modeling before adopting a rate change.

Provenance: presentation slides and discussion, Nov. 25 council meeting; FCS technical slides included in meeting packet.