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Residents and county officials spar over ambulance fees; coroner staffing and radio upgrade discussed at work session
Summary
A resident complained to the commission about receiving a $75 'treat‑no‑transport' ambulance bill; County Manager Thomas Weaver explained the fee structure. At the Dec. 22 work session the coroner requested a $2,000 budget amendment for an extra deputy coroner and staff presented a $68,152 radio equipment quote for the sheriff; commissioners asked for vendor and sheriff department presentations before any vote.
A resident told commissioners during open forum that he was surprised to receive a $75 ambulance bill after first responders treated him but did not transport him to an emergency room.
Derrick White of Lafayette Road said the bill was unexpected and said residents "don't know about the fees until they receive a bill," according to the minutes. County Manager Thomas Weaver and Chairman Charles Coffey explained that the county’s $10 water‑bill fee funds 911 service, while the $75 charge is an established "treatment, no transport" fee assessed when emergency medical personnel provide on‑scene care but do not transport the patient.
At the Dec. 22 work session, Weaver expanded on the fee schedule that county staff referenced when setting ambulance pricing. The minutes list example transport charges for comparison (listed in the packet): basic ALS transport $1,000; ALS2 $1,600; BLS amounts listed at $900 and $400 in different classifications — Weaver said these figures are comparable to nearby counties and that the $75 charge covers on‑scene treatment costs such as fuel and personnel time.
Also during the work session, speaker Ron Hedgecoke requested a $2,000 amendment to the coroner’s budget to retain an extra deputy coroner, citing a need for round‑the‑clock coverage and noting annual training costs. Weaver acknowledged the request but did not present a decision at that meeting.
Weaver also summarized a vendor quote for upgrading the county’s public‑safety radio equipment; the packet lists an equipment subtotal of about $68,152 for the sheriff’s department and notes handheld radios cost several thousand dollars each. Weaver recommended that the sheriff and the radio vendor appear at a future meeting to demonstrate equipment and explain budget and maintenance implications before commissioners consider a purchase vote.
The minutes show commissioners asked for additional information and vendor/sheriff attendance before taking action on the radio upgrade or the coroner budget request.
