Commission approves $13.5M ambulance subsidy and directs mayor to seek reimbursement from Murray County and Spring Hill

The Williamson County Budget Committee approved a $13,500,000 subsidy for county ambulance (EMS) services on April 21 and voted to direct the county mayor to seek reimbursement from Murray County and the city of Spring Hill for runs originating in those jurisdictions.

Phil, an executive who presented the hospital/EMS financials, told the committee the system has run persistent annual losses and asked the county to increase the subsidy to bring the projected operating loss down. "If we ask for $14 million, that'll bring us down to a loss of 479,000 projected," Phil said, describing a multiyear trajectory of rising costs and a projected roughly $5 million loss this fiscal year without the subsidy.

The mayor summarized legal counsel's guidance and told the committee that "state law does require the county to be responsible for ambulance service within the county," noting that the county could continue service or contract it differently but that the statutory responsibility rests with the county. Sarah (county legal counsel) stated that position for the record.

Several commissioners said they were concerned that Williamson County taxpayers are subsidizing runs into neighboring jurisdictions. Commissioner Webb flagged the scale of cross‑border service and cited the committee's figures that Williamson County was subsidizing roughly 58% of Spring Hill runs on the Murray County side, "to the tune of roughly net 651,000 a year," a figure he said was reflected in county accounting.

Committee members discussed operational complexities, including dispatch and radio systems, housing and rent for EMS units provided by Spring Hill, and the capital cost and timing of buying ambulances. Connor and Michael (county staff) said six ambulance capital purchases in the capital plan are replacements; the committee was told replacements typically take two to three years to arrive.

The chair proposed, and a commissioner moved and seconded, a motion directing the county mayor's office to draft a letter to Spring Hill outlining the county's position and seeking reimbursement or other arrangements for the portion of calls that serve Murray County residents. The motion passed by voice vote; the transcript records the direction and that members in the room indicated approval.

Separately, commissioners amended a pending subsidy motion downward from $14 million to $13.5 million and approved the amended amount by voice vote. The committee and staff said the mayor's office and county staff would continue negotiating with Spring Hill and Murray County, assess capital timing, and return with firm numbers and legal timeline constraints before finalizing contractual adjustments.

What happens next: county staff and legal will prepare a draft letter to Spring Hill and assemble detailed cost and run‑count figures; the mayor's office will report back to the committee with options for reimbursement, contract timing and any capital‑purchase implications.

Vote and procedural note: the transcript records voice votes and repeated statements that items were "marked unanimous." Individual roll‑call tallies were not recorded in the provided transcript.