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County moves to form EMS advisory council to address volunteer shortfalls and study tax option
Summary
Pottawattamie County supervisors agreed to stand up an EMS advisory council to assess volunteer EMS shortages, explore billing and staffing options and study the feasibility of an "EMS as an essential service" tax under Iowa Code 422D; work will begin with data collection and a resolution to be advanced for required readings.
Pottawattamie County supervisors agreed to establish an EMS advisory council to study shortages in volunteer emergency medical services and evaluate options for sustaining ambulance response across the county.
Jacob Hardman, Lewis Township fire chief and president of the county fire chiefs association, told the board the county is "at a crossroads" as volunteer rosters thin and daytime coverage gaps grow. He urged the board to authorize a council that can gather data, hold public hearings and produce recommendations, including whether an EMS essential-service tax should be pursued.
County presenters told supervisors the advisory council would meet bimonthly, report quarterly to the board and require no county funding to begin; members would serve with employer permission or on a volunteer basis. The council's initial goals include an assessment of current coverage, a feasibility study of a 422D essential-service tax, and a roadmap for recruitment, retention and billing improvements.
Several supervisors emphasized the need to follow the statutory process in Iowa for an essential-service tax. County counsel and staff noted that, under the 422D framework, adopting a county resolution and holding required hearings and township-level votes are integral steps in any eventual tax referendum. Staff said other counties that have pursued the levy faced complex allocation and fairness questions, particularly for municipalities like Council Bluffs that already operate paid services.
Supervisor Susan Miller (first referenced as Supervisor Miller) said she supported forming the council and recommended designating a county representative to help the group move forward. County counsel recommended drafting the formal resolution and suggested the board begin with standing up the advisory body and collecting the data needed to evaluate options. Supervisors directed staff to prepare the resolution and to schedule the required readings and public outreach.
Next steps: staff will draft a resolution to authorize the advisory council and return to the board with the time line and membership details; if the county pursues an essential-service tax, that path would require multiple public hearings and, ultimately, township and county referendums under state law.
