Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ems Services Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
EMS reports record call volume; commissioners discuss sales tax option and outreach
Summary
Corey Scott, EMS director, told the Atchison County Commission that May saw a record number of EMS responses and transfer requests, stressing staffing and funding strain; commissioners discussed using a local sales tax ballot question to fund EMS and planned voter outreach and financial modeling.
Corey Scott, the county’s EMS representative, told the Atchison County Commission on June 23 that May 2026 was an "exceptional month" for emergency medical responses. He reported 276 EMS responses in May and said the service has accepted 66 hospital transfer requests while the hospital requested 72 transfers; he warned the department’s current staffing and funding could not sustain all transfer demands while maintaining 911 coverage.
Scott told the board the service is on pace for a record year (he cited a projection of more than 2,900 calls if current trends continue). Commissioners asked about staffing, the impact of upcoming July events such as Fourth of July festivities, and whether the service could handle both transfers and 911 responses during peak periods.
Separately, commissioners discussed plans to educate voters about a proposed local option sales tax to support EMS operations. Staff and commissioners said third‑party financial projections and color graphs would help communicate how a sales tax might reduce property tax burdens or fund EMS operations. The board noted early‑voting schedules and outreach deadlines and asked staff to ensure projections use final valuation figures before producing public materials.
No formal action to place a sales tax on the ballot was recorded at the June 23 meeting; the commissioners focused on outreach planning, timing for early voting, and preparing literature and vetted financial tables for public distribution. Commissioners also received and filed the EMS May 2026 report.
