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Boyne City commission endorses adding two paramedics to stabilize EMS staffing
Summary
After sustained public comment and a presentation of two staffing-and-cost scenarios, commissioners voted to advance "Budget Option 1," which adds two paramedic positions to move the service toward a sustained full-time staffing model while townships finalize funding arrangements.
Boyne City—s commissioners on Tuesday endorsed a revised EMS budget plan that would add two paramedics to the department as part of a multi-step move away from the existing paid-on-call staffing model.
The director of Boyne City EMS, Brenda (last name not specified in the record), walked commissioners through two budget alternatives and the costs needed to reduce dependence on paid-on-call shifts. She said the current staffing model is "not sustainable," described extensive overtime and coverage burdens on existing personnel and urged commissioners to approve the first of two options she presented.
Why it matters: Commissioners and multiple public speakers warned that the city risks losing experienced personnel and that continuing the status quo could lead to coverage gaps. Supporters asked the commission to account for long-term capital and operating costs (ambulances, stretchers, billing/revenue practices) when finalizing a funding formula with the townships.
Brenda told the commission the original EMS staffing proposal in the packet was $2,586,500. She presented two alternatives: Option 1 would add two paramedics (one on a 60-hour rotation and one on a 48-hour rotation) and keep an existing full-time support position; staff arithmetic presented at the meeting put Option 1 at $2,479,380 and Option 2 (a smaller incremental hire plan) at $2,417,730. City staff recommended Option 1 as the more sustainable near-term approach.
Public comments and interagency perspective: Paramedics and family members described 48-hour shifts, mental-health strain and recruitment difficulty if the city does not add full-time capacity. Roy Griffiths, chair of a neighboring EMS authority, said his agency would welcome conversations about formal partnerships and noted past mutual-aid responses during extreme weather. Commenters representing townships asked to be included in funding discussions and said they will participate under a proposed allocation formula that weights usage more heavily than population.
The vote and next steps: The commission took a voice vote to move forward with Budget Option 1 for EMS staffing. Commissioners said the selection will be incorporated into the draft budget that must be posted and published for a public hearing; staff said a public hearing is scheduled for the meeting on the 14th, with formal adoption to follow per statutory deadlines. Commissioners and staff asked for final, revised pages and a township participation update ahead of the hearing.
What remains unresolved: The final funding split between Boyne City and its eight participating townships will depend on a revised allocation formula and township approvals; several speakers asked staff to "trust but verify" billing and revenue assumptions (including ambulance billing and non-transport revenue) and for clearer documentation of which capital and operating costs the formula captures.
Quotes that stood out: "I'm tired," Brenda told commissioners as she described staff fatigue and long shift coverage. Justice Lake, a partner agency representative, urged planning for "a sustainable system on top of the loyalty" of volunteer staff. Roy Griffiths said, "Between our two agencies, we cover probably 90% of the calls in the county," offering his agency as a first call for partnership discussions.
The commission did not adopt a final budget at the session; it approved moving the EMS portion forward as Budget Option 1 and scheduled remaining adoption steps for the statutorily required public hearing and adoption timeline.
