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Personnel committee removes sunset on EMS positions after budget, grant debate
Summary
The Washington County personnel committee voted to remove a March 31 sunset on six EMS positions after debate about whether continued pay depends on a state grant extension or county funding; members agreed removal should be contingent on grant approval or county funding and voted to reconsider and then remove the sunset.
The Washington County personnel committee voted March 12 to remove a March 31 sunset on six EMS staffing positions after a lengthy discussion about the source and timing of funding.
Committee members said the EMS positions were initially funded by a grant for the first three months of 2026 and that $104,000 was included in the 2026 county budget to fund April–December (nine months). Committee discussion focused on whether the positions should remain contingent on a state-grant extension or be shifted to county funds if the state does not extend the grant.
A participant on the committee recommended that removal of the sunset be conditioned on either state approval of a grant extension or an explicit decision to fund the positions with county dollars. Committee members discussed how grants are recorded after adoption of the budget and noted that some counties had received extensions; others said they had already budgeted county funds to keep the program operating past March.
After debate the committee voted to reconsider an earlier resolution and then approved a motion to remove the sunset on the six EMS positions. The committee’s actions allow the positions to continue through December, subject to the contingencies discussed: the state’s decision on a grant extension or the county’s choice to fund the positions.
The committee did not provide a roll-call vote tally in the record; minutes show motions were moved, seconded and carried. Next steps discussed include reflecting the committee’s decision in the finance resolution and confirming the grant accounting needed to roll funds forward for the beginning of the year.
