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County considers $1.4 million EMS revolving loan fund; council debates oversight and rules
Summary
Administration proposed moving roughly $1.4 million of previously budgeted gaming‑fund dollars into a new EMS revolving loan fund to seed low‑interest loans for equipment; council members pressed for written administrative‑code criteria and assurances that council would retain approval of individual loans.
County administration proposed at the June 18 finance committee meeting to reallocate roughly $1 million (returned from a prior project) plus about $400,000 already in the budget into a revolving, low‑interest loan fund intended to support county EMS providers. Presenters described the fund as seed money that would be used for equipment purchases and other projects that are not easily covered by one‑time grants.
Administration staff said the proposed ordinance only parks the funds in a designated fund balance and does not authorize spending; any individual loan would require separate council approval. The administration described plans to establish a review committee to evaluate loan requests — potentially including an EMS representative, a banker and a council representative — and to forward recommended projects to council for a final vote. The presenter characterized the tool as a way to leverage grants and provide sustainable, revolving financing rather than recurring grants.
Several council members said the proposal is premature without written regulations or administrative‑code changes spelling out eligibility criteria, committee composition and council oversight. One council member cautioned that prior administrations disbursed gaming‑fund money without transparent criteria, and committee members urged that the loan program’s governance be approved before funds are committed. Supporters, including Glenn Jackson, argued that "parking the money" now allows the county to build the program collaboratively and that the model could be more sustainable than one‑time grants.
Presenters reiterated the administration’s view that moving the dollars into a fund balance does not allow expenditure without further ordinances and that council would retain approval authority for each loan; staff said they will return with proposed administrative‑code language and a written structure for the loan committee before loans are made.
The committee did not adopt a final ordinance or vote to expend funds; the item remains under consideration pending formal language on governance and process.
