Somerset County commissioners double volunteer retirement allotment, promise EMS oversight and transparency changes

Somerset County commissioners voted Feb. 24 to increase the annual Volunteer Service Award Program (VSAP) retirement allotment for volunteer firefighters from $600 to $1,200 and pledged a series of oversight and transparency changes for the county's EMS operations after a special session with volunteer fire and ambulance representatives.

The decision came after a series of public comments from volunteer chiefs and members who described aging equipment, recruitment challenges and concerns that county EMS staff had overstepped traditional reporting lines. Commissioner Eldon Willing moved to raise the VSAP allotment; Commissioner Darryl Webster seconded. Vice President Randy Laird abstained and the motion carried 3-0-1. President Charles Laird said absent Commissioner Craig N. Mathies Sr. agreed with the change.

Why it matters: Volunteers said companies are struggling and that retention incentives and clearer county support are urgent. John Barnette, newly elected president of the Chiefs Association, pointed to a tax-incentive model used in neighboring jurisdictions and asked the board to consider a similar measure to recruit and retain volunteers. President Laird said a tax-incentive proposal is being considered for the 2027 legislative session and described it as a tiered program that could begin at $1,000; any eventual EMS tax would require public hearings and would be structured to avoid cutting into fire company fundraising.

Public-safety oversight and accountability: Several speakers, including Toby Swift and other chiefs, told commissioners that the county's EMS coordinator, referred to in comments as Mr. Dixon, and another staff member, Mr. Polidore, had acted outside expected lines of authority — attending meetings with outside agencies and making purchasing decisions without sufficient local chief-level review. President Laird acknowledged the concern, saying Mr. Dixon "admitted he dropped the ball," and pledged to change oversight so that EMS staff focus on county EMS duties and follow a clearer reporting chain, including better spending review and adherence to chiefs' association processes.

Workers' compensation and next steps: The board expressed consensus to pursue workers' compensation coverage for volunteer firefighters and said the process will begin with a public hearing to gather input. Commissioners also committed to providing or identifying grant-writing assistance during upcoming budget deliberations and to reviewing the recent issuance of county vehicles and EZ passes to EMS staff that volunteers said felt like a slight to unpaid members.

Voices from the field: Captain David Evans urged the board to consider the long service of many volunteers and warned that failing to act now could lead to greater costs later. George Nelson of the Lower Somerset Ambulance Squad said his company was at a crossroads and uncertain whether it could replace an ambulance or continue operating under current terms; the board said it does not intend to take over local ambulance providers but will help companies that cannot continue under existing arrangements.

Procedural note: The board recessed briefly at 6:46 p.m. and later entered closed session under Annotated Code of Maryland §3-305(b)(1) to discuss personnel matters; the closed-session summary in the meeting materials notes one approved action described as "Approval to terminate." The special session and related meetings concluded at 7:00 p.m.

What happens next: Commissioners said they will place the proposed tax-incentive consideration on the agenda for future budget deliberations and schedule a public hearing on workers' compensation for volunteers. Association leaders asked for more frequent meetings; several speakers recommended bimonthly sessions to maintain communication. The board also committed to follow up on spending-review procedures and the apparent breakdown in the EMS chain of command.