Grand County approves $350,338 to avert immediate EMS funding shortfall

Grand County commissioners on March 18 approved a $350,338 one-time allocation to Grand County EMS after hearing that the district’s short-term reserves could be exhausted by April without additional help. The vote followed testimony from medical and EMS officials and a lengthy discussion about short-, medium- and long-term funding options, including a possible sales-tax ballot measure and state grant programs.

Dr. Diedra Flanagan, a general surgeon at Moab Regional Hospital and trauma director, urged support in the public-comment portion, saying Grand County EMS provides advanced on-scene care across a 4,100-square-mile coverage area and runs roughly 1,600 calls a year. “This is all done with only 5 ambulances and 34 field providers, which I view as nothing short of amazing,” she said.

During the presentation and follow-up questioning, the EMS director told commissioners that sales-tax receipts were down (the presenter said January sales tax receipts were “down 17%”) and that the agency was collecting about "29¢ on the dollar" of billed charges. He said PTF reserve funds were approximately $102,000 — about half a month of operating needs — and that combined payroll and operating costs were about $262,000 per month. Those figures, he said, left the district facing a cash shortfall unless the county provided immediate support.

Commissioners debated whether to fund the full request or provide a partial, conditional payment aimed at leveraging additional contributions from the city and neighboring counties. Concerns raised during deliberations included the need for better data on what share of calls serve city versus county residents, possible revenue and expense efficiencies, and the need for a longer-term funding plan so the county would not face the same emergency next year.

After an amendment to clarify the requested amount, a motion to provide $350,338 to Grand County EMS was called and passed. The meeting record shows the motion carried with six commissioners voting in favor and one abstention (Commissioner Hathers). Several commissioners said they supported short-term funding to avoid interrupting emergency response while planning for more sustainable revenue (including the state TRT grant program referenced in legislative language and a potential sales-tax measure targeted for 2026 implementation).

What’s next: Commissioners requested additional operational breakdowns (including call-distribution by jurisdiction and more detailed monthly expense reports) and asked EMS leadership to return with follow-up materials. Several commissioners also urged outreach to the City of Moab and San Juan County to pursue cost-sharing and noted the county should pursue grant opportunities created by new state law (HB 456) and better positioning for TRT grant funds.