Crawford County board holds public hearing, approves first reading to declare EMS an essential service

The Crawford County Board of Supervisors opened a public hearing on a proposed resolution declaring emergency medical services (EMS) an essential county service and approved the resolution’s first reading by unanimous roll-call vote.

The first reading of resolution 2026-10 passed after the board heard requests from hospital representatives to soften the language and reviewed county legal guidance on the statutory timeline. The roll call recorded aye votes from supervisors Tai, Jean, Dave, Kyle and Chair Craig Dozart.

Why it matters: If ultimately adopted and approved by voters, the resolution would authorize the county to pursue defined local funding options for EMS—state law allows a levy of up to 75 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, a 1% local option income tax, or a combination—mechanisms that can fund staffing, equipment and countywide coordination for emergency medical response.

Board debate focused on a requested change to the second paragraph of the draft resolution. Hospital representatives asked the board to replace wording that states the county “lacks the critical infrastructure necessary to provide for the safety of the citizens” with language that frames the deficit as a potential future risk. County legal counsel advised the board that under Iowa Code section 422D.1, altering the final text of the resolution would require restarting the statutory process because the adopted text must have been “considered and voted on at two meetings” prior to final approval. After discussion about whether the change would materially affect outcomes, the board agreed to retain the current wording for the reading on the record.

Hospital-affiliated EMS manager Jacob Archer introduced himself during public comment. “I’m the new EMS manager at Crawford County Memorial Hospital,” Archer said, providing contact information and offering to work with county staff and the advisory group. He said he had been on the job about a week and planned to participate in the association meeting to coordinate services.

Board members and staff repeatedly emphasized that the first reading starts a multi-step process. Staff said the newly established county EMS advisory council (as described in the resolution) will study needs, propose a funding level for any ballot question, and perform public education ahead of a vote. A county staffer noted that the commission’s recommended levy rate, if approved, would be locked for 15 years (it may be decreased but not increased without another public vote).

Next steps: The board completed the first reading and will hold the remaining statutorily required meetings and votes before any final adoption. Staff and the advisory council are tasked with preparing cost estimates and a public-education plan so voters understand the dollar impact and service implications before any ballot question is finalized.