Kane County to issue RFP for $50,000 feasibility study on countywide fire and EMS; timeline may affect ballot options

Kane County commissioners discussed next steps May 6 for coordinating fire and emergency medical services across the county, including issuing a request for proposals for a $50,000 feasibility study that explicitly include EMS in the scope.

The county has canceled a contract with Canal City (effective January) and staff said they are preparing procurement language and a liability contract for emergency-services vehicles. Taylor Glover said the commission could solicit proposals with flexible timelines and include options for expedited delivery for additional cost; he cautioned that faster schedules can increase price and reduce quality.

County Clerk/Auditor Shamil Lam advised commissioners on election-timing constraints if the county ultimately needs a ballot measure. He said the deadline to deliver language to place a measure on the Nov. 4, 2025 ballot is 65 days before the election — roughly Aug. 30 — and that the county will receive a checklist from the lieutenant governor’s office for what steps are required.

Commissioners asked staff to consider realistic RFP windows (three to six weeks to prepare proposals plus evaluation time) and to consult Iron County’s recent process as a model. The commission did not set a binding completion date for the feasibility study at the May 6 meeting but discussed a target for study results by fall or, at the latest, end of the year so the commission could consider whether a ballot measure would be required next year.

Next steps: prepare and release the RFP for the feasibility study with clear timeline options, and obtain the LG’s checklist to confirm ballot-language deadlines and required resolutions.