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Council hears county EMS pay increases and grapples with funding and staffing concerns
Summary
Council members reported the county approved higher on‑call pay for EMTs and stipend changes that could add roughly $200,000 a year; some council members expressed concern about sustainable funding and local EMT communication and qualifications, while others defended outreach and attendance at meetings.
Speaker 9 told the Green River City Council that a recent countywide meeting approved increasing on‑call pay for day shifts from $1 per hour to $4 per hour and adjusted Green River stipends. He said the board adopted the change even though the county had not finalized a plan to fund the increase and estimated the policy could raise costs by about $200,000 a year.
Speaker 9 said he voted against the county action, arguing the increase would strain budgets and that the funding strategy to cover the change was not settled. "I did vote not to approve it knowing that we're spending more money than we have," Speaker 9 said.
Councilmember Speaker 4 raised separate concerns about EMT qualifications, local communication and reliance on out‑of‑area crews. Speaker 4 said local EMTs felt they were not receiving adequate information and that communications had been inconsistent. In response, Speaker 9 said he attends EMS meetings, is available to contact and has tried to get answers for EMTs who raise questions.
Council discussion also touched on operational realities: several ambulance purchases statewide have been funded by grants that do not cover operating costs, recent legislative changes limit billable ambulance supplies, and insurance write‑offs reduce collections. The combination of program design changes and the proposed pay increases prompted council members to flag a likely request for city contributions in the upcoming budget cycle.
The council did not approve any funding at the April 8 meeting; members were advised the county may approach cities for contributions and that further information about qualifications, funding sources and communications should be provided before any local commitment.
Next steps: Staff and the council liaison will continue to seek clarifying information from the county EMS board about funding mechanics, qualification standards and an itemized estimated city share before a budgetary decision is requested.
