Commissioners agree to seek comptroller guidance on using opioid-abatement funds to buy ambulances

Commissioner Rogers recognized Adam Lewis, who urged the commission to seek written guidance from the state comptroller’s office on whether opioid-abatement funds can be used to purchase ambulances.

Lewis said the county has repeatedly asked state authorities whether the funds may purchase ambulances but has received no definitive answer. “They won't say no, but they also won't say yes,” Lewis said. He recommended documenting a formal request so the county could show due diligence if auditors later questioned expenditures.

Why it matters: Commissioners described opioid-abatement money as an annual allocation with some existing commitments (one commissioner said about $200,000 remains after current allocations to nonprofits). Lewis argued buying an ambulance could avoid using general-tax dollars and that ambulances play a role in overdose response and transport, which could fall under opioid-abatement objectives.

Funding and risk: Commissioners discussed options: use interest earned on opioid funds, split costs across funding sources, or buy the ambulance with other funds and later seek reimbursement. One commissioner said a single ambulance purchase could be roughly in the mid-six-figure range (a figure of about $500,000 was mentioned during discussion), while Lewis said he would document the request and the commission would weigh the risk of later audit findings.

Next steps: Commissioners asked staff to draft a letter requesting clear guidance and to put that letter on the agenda for next Monday’s voting session so the commission can formally sign and send it. No purchase decision was made at the meeting; the item is a request for state direction and possible future budget action.