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Marquette County committee trims 2026 EMS overtime, forwards budget to Executive and Finance
Summary
The Judicial & Public Safety Committee forwarded an amended EMS budget for 2026 after removing a $100,000 shared-revenue assumption and setting the overtime line at $580,000; members discussed staffing, surplus use and hiring of new paramedics.
The Marquette County Judicial & Public Safety Committee on Oct. 7 forwarded a revised 2026 emergency medical services budget to the county’s Executive and Finance committees after amending overtime and shared-revenue assumptions.
Administrator Ron Barger presented an updated EMS budget that relied on $200,000 of EMS surplus and initially included $100,000 in new shared revenue and two positions (down from a previously discussed three). The overtime line in the proposed budget was presented at $650,000; committee discussion centered on reducing the shared-revenue assumption and lowering the overtime estimate.
Citizen Tim Houslet, during public comment, raised concerns about the possibility of closing an EMS station and said “the decision to have the number and locations of stations was done through various public forums and consulting,” framing community worry about service levels and station locations.
Committee members moved to forward the EMS budget with the shared-revenue line item of $100,000 removed. An amendment, moved by Lance Achterberg and seconded by Chuck Bornhoeft, set the overtime line at $580,000; the amended motion carried. The committee did not provide a roll-call tally in the transcript; the packet will be considered by Executive and Finance for further action.
EMS Director Rob Lulling told the committee the department had settled a new Medical Director agreement with Dr. Aurora Lybeck, completed a final desk review on Medicaid reimbursements and extended offers to three paramedics (two full-time, one part-time) and three part-time EMTs.
The committee’s action changes the county’s 2026 EMS spending assumptions, reduces an assumed $100,000 of shared revenue from the budget plan and sets an overtime planning figure intended to cover FMLA, sick leave and shift vacancies. The next procedural step is formal review by Executive and Finance.
