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Cedar Mountain Service District warns of major nonresident EMS cost shortfall; seeks TRT help
Summary
Cedar Mountain Service District officials told the commission their EMS and fire operations are financially strained: nonresident calls account for about 61% of EMS use and the district estimates roughly $972,000 annual net cost for nonresident services, with only ~$270,000 in identified offsetting revenue (hospital payments and TRT grants). The district urged continued TRT support and better data tracking; commissioners asked staff to collaborate on reporting required for TRT applications.
Representatives of Cedar Mountain Service District told the Kane County Commission on Aug. 26 that rising call volumes and operational costs have left the district functionally solvent but exposed to a substantial net cost for nonresident emergency medical services.
Dan (paramedic) reviewed station coverage and response roles while Zach (district finance lead) presented three years of call‑volume and financial data. Dan said the district provides 24/7 paramedic‑level EMS from three stations and that EMS accounts for roughly 61–79% of calls in recent years. Zach said that of approximately 229 calls so far in 2025 to date, 140 were EMS and 62% were nonresidents.
Zach summarized the district’s finance picture: the district serves roughly 4,700 properties, currently charges a per‑property fee (rising from $4.25 to $5.00 per property next year), and derives revenue from transports, grants, “wildland” wildfire deployment income, and an overnight hospital‑coverage payment. He estimated the annual net cost for nonresident services (campers, tourists, travelers) at about $972,000; offsetting revenues include a $120,000 hospital payment for overnight coverage and $150,000 in TRT grants the county has provided in prior years, leaving an approximate remaining annual shortfall of about $700,000 to cover nonresident service costs.
Zach told commissioners grant income is valuable but variable and cautioned that grant awards are not guaranteed year to year, so the district does not rely on them as stable operating revenue. Commissioners pressed for more granular data distinguishing short‑term rental or hotel guests from other nonresidents; district staff said current reporting differentiates resident vs. nonresident property ownership status but does not track lodging type, and agreed they can add fields to run‑sheets if the commission requests.
Commission comments and next steps: commissioners expressed appreciation for the district's service and for the slide materials; staff agreed to coordinate on required TRT grant reporting and data collection standards to support future funding applications. No formal county appropriation vote occurred at the meeting.
