County EMS reports steady response times and commissioners weigh 9‑1‑1 surcharge and funding options

The county’s EMS representative reported year‑to‑date average dispatch‑to‑on‑scene time of about 11 minutes 15 seconds and a start‑to‑arrival travel average of about 8 minutes 26 seconds—figures county staff said are within typical rural ranges. The presenter described current staffing as a mix of full‑time and part‑time EMTs and paramedics and noted several hires are in process; she also said education assistance is offered to employees who sign service agreements but that statewide scholarships that previously defrayed training costs have dropped off, creating a barrier to paramedic training.

Commissioners asked about local training pipelines and whether licensed personnel are being lost to ER work because hospital wages or working conditions are preferable to fieldwork. The EMS presenter said one current hire received a 100% scholarship in the past and lamented that paramedic courses cost between $12,000 and $18,000, making tuition aid important for career advancement.

The meeting also included an extended discussion of the county’s telephone surcharge used to fund 9‑1‑1 operations and an 800 MHz radio migration. Finance staff warned that proposed state changes to personal property tax could reduce county revenue by roughly $1 million and highlighted ongoing 9‑1‑1 costs, including a planned phone system upgrade and final loan payment for a 9‑1‑1 building. Several commissioners said the surcharge (currently about $3) is critical to operations and recommended annual review; the public safety chair argued for continuing recurring authority for the surcharge and noted that many Michigan counties use similar mechanisms. No immediate change to the surcharge was enacted at the meeting.