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Joint Ambulance Committee presses county on loss of hiring oversight, seeks options
Summary
Members of the Richland County Joint Ambulance Committee raised concerns that a shift to a county-administrator form of government has reduced the committee's hiring and oversight authority; members discussed standing-committee status, forming an ambulance district and next steps to secure funding and oversight.
At a meeting of the Richland County Joint Ambulance Committee, members confronted county officials about recent structural changes they say have reduced the committee's ability to oversee hiring and other administrative functions.
The committee heard a presentation from Dave, a former Richland County board chair, describing how counties operate under Wisconsin law and explaining that Richland County moved to a county-administrator form of government in 2019. Dave told the group that "Richland County can't do anything that the state of Wisconsin doesn't give us permission to do," and described the administrator's statutory authority to appoint and supervise department heads subject to board confirmation.
Why it matters: Committee members argued the change has practical consequences for local control over ambulance operations. Several said the JAC historically participated in hiring and capital decisions, and that the administrator model centralizes those powers in the county administration. One committee member told the group the change had gutted the panel's practical influence: "Now suddenly ... we've taken away all our power." The committee's concerns touch on service continuity, local input into staffing and how ambulance-generated revenue is used.
Committee members and county staff discussed specific options for restoring or preserving the JAC's role. Staff suggested the JAC could formally ask the county board to reclassify the panel from an advisory body to a standing committee; staff also noted municipalities could pursue an ambulance district under Wisconsin law as an alternative that would give constituent municipalities more direct control. A county staff member recommended drafting a resolution for the county board and said committee members could form a subcommittee to flesh out details before bringing a recommendation forward.
Members recounted the JAC's history: it began as a countywide collaborative of townships, villages and the city and, according to speakers, had built reserves and purchased ambulances while operating under county bookkeeping and payroll services. Several members said they wanted assurances that funds generated by ambulance operations would remain available for ambulance needs rather than being commingled with general county revenues.
What happens next: Committee members agreed to consider a subcommittee and to draft a formal recommendation for the county board on whether to recognize the JAC as a standing committee or pursue other governance options. County staff said any change in status or funding mechanism would require county-board action and, where relevant, compliance with statute and county rules.
The meeting closed with members asking for clearer communication about the administrator's role in future hiring and budget decisions and planning follow-up work to produce a draft resolution to send to the county board.
