The Finney County Board of County Commissioners on Dec. 15 approved two finance and service items that affect emergency response and wastewater planning.

Emergency medical services: Kenny Smith, Finney County EMS director, recommended replacing Active911 with First Due after an operational evaluation. Staff reported repeated delivery failures in the existing Active911 system and said First Due—tested with the Garden City Fire Department—offered real‑time unit tracking, enhanced dispatch notes, more accurate mapping and pre‑incident planning features. Smith described First Due as “more reliable, more functional, and better aligned with modern emergency response needs.”

The contract presented to the board carries a $1,800 one‑time setup fee and a $6,950 annual subscription; the first year total was listed as $8,750 and staff said funding for the initial cost will come from the EMS equipment reserve fund (current balance $555,904.38). Commissioners asked about mapping accuracy in rural areas and whether updates to GIS or closed local roads would be reflected; Smith said the system uses current GIS maps and that the city’s implementation resolved many prior mapping issues. The commission approved the contract and authorized the county administrator to execute it.

Eastside Sewer District No. 1 budget amendment: Following an opening public hearing, county staff explained that a Kansas Water Office grant of $165,000 was previously approved to assist with design work for expansion of Sewer District No. 1, but subsequent fiscal review showed additional design and project costs of about $105,000 were necessary. Staff recommended an amended 2025 budget so the district would have sufficient expenditure authority; the board approved the amendment authorizing total expenditures of $273,390 and closed the hearing.

Other fiscal items handled during the meeting included the county treasurer’s request to approve an updated municipal set‑off program agreement with the State of Kansas and the clerk’s certification to place delinquent Sewer District No. 2 accounts on the 2025 tax roll as a special assessment; both actions were approved by the commission.