Town pauses ambulance-district push; Walden appoints two trustees to task force

Town officials presented a preliminary plan for an ambulance district intended to stabilize emergency medical services by enabling investment in advanced life-support (ALS) capability and addressing chronic cash-flow problems in volunteer ambulance corps.

The town presenter said the 'mat planner' report includes homeowner assessment models and that creating a district is a multi-year effort. He asked each village board to designate one or two members to join an ambulance-services task force to help shape the plan. "I would like to have… your board designate a member or two… to be a formal part of our ambulance services task force," he said.

Trustees pressed the presenters on key issues: who would administer district funds, whether villages that opt out would be left without service, how the district would affect billing and reimbursements, and what the expected tax impact would be. Town officials said a likely first-year approach would include town oversight and a contracted administrator and that the district is intended to generate revenue through expanded ALS billing—reducing long-term reliance on the raised tax levy alone.

The town acknowledged it will pause the timetable to give villages more time to review materials and invited Walden to send representatives to the task force. Walden trustees agreed to appoint Trustee Willie Carly and Trustee Cheryl as members, with Mayor Lynn as an alternate; the board recorded those appointments during the meeting.

Presenters framed the district as a long-term business and operational solution: invest capital to recruit staff and equipment, convert some calls to ALS-billable services, and thereby create a sustainable funding base. Officials cautioned that creating a district requires detailed financial modeling, public notice and, potentially, permissive-referendum procedures under state law.