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Committee recommends waiving ambulance subscription fees for Skagway residents 65 and older
Summary
The Health, Education and Welfare Committee voted to recommend a draft resolution to the assembly that would waive the municipality's ambulance subscription base fee for residents aged 65 and older, make the waiver retroactive to 2025, and require annual registration assisted by the Skagway Fire Department.
The Skagway Municipality Health, Education and Welfare Committee on Jan. 23 recommended that the full assembly approve a resolution to waive the base ambulance subscription fee for residents aged 65 and older and to make the waiver retroactive to 2025.
Emily Rauscher, the municipality's fire chief, explained the purpose of the ambulance subscription program and proposed the senior waiver after outreach with local seniors. "The subscription fees are very, very low. It's $10 for an individual, $20 for a couple, and 25 for a family," Rauscher said, adding that the program is intended as a municipal service rather than a revenue source.
Under the draft resolution discussed by the committee, the borough would waive the base rate for subscribers who meet specified exemptions and would add a new provision waiving all ambulance fees for senior citizens aged 65 and older; eligible participants must register annually for the program with assistance from the Skagway Fire Department. Chair Alex Woodell noted staff could make the waiver retroactive to anyone who signed up earlier in 2025.
Assembly member Hillis moved to recommend the draft resolution amending previously adopted Resolution 22‑28R to the full assembly and asked that it be retroactive to the start of 2025; Chair Alex Woodell seconded the motion. The committee approved the recommendation by voice vote; the meeting record shows members answering "Yes/Aye" when the chair called for the vote.
Rauscher said the subscription program is small in scale and does not generate revenue for the municipality; she estimated there are roughly 100 seniors who might be eligible and noted the borough will need to assist seniors with enrollment and maintain a registration list. The committee encouraged public participation and indicated it will forward the recommendation to the assembly for final action.
No roll‑call tally was recorded in the committee transcript; the committee's recommendation advances the draft waiver to a future assembly meeting for formal adoption.
