Commissioners endorse EMS grant, sign ambulance subgrants and hear staffing, pay requests

Franklin County commissioners unanimously approved a letter of endorsement for an EMSAVE grant and signed two State of Idaho subgrant amendments for ambulances during their May 28 meeting.

Mark Gilbert, Ambulance Association administrator, told commissioners that two ambulances awarded years earlier are finally being built and are expected to be delivered this summer. The association is preparing another grant application for a future ambulance and has received grants for autoload cots, Gilbert said.

Gilbert presented a budget request that included three main items: increasing the hourly rate to match the Fire District (an estimated additional cost of about $25,000), a stipend program for personnel who remain at the building awaiting calls (estimated at about $72,000), and funding for one additional full-time EMT. Commissioners discussed an option to bill for supplies or extraction services, but Gilbert cautioned that tracking every supply used would burden volunteers.

Commissioner Boyd Burbank moved to approve a letter of endorsement for the EMSAVE grant; Commissioner Dirk Bowles seconded, and the motion carried unanimously. The board then approved signing State of Idaho Subgrant Amendments #HC1643 and #HC1393 authorizing the ambulances, again by unanimous vote (motion by Dirk Bowles, second Boyd Burbank).

The commissioners did not adopt new pay rates or the stipend during the meeting; Gilbert’s requests were placed in the FY2025 budget discussion for further consideration. The ambulances’ expected summer delivery and the association’s continuing grant efforts were identified as the next procedural steps.

The commissioners also discussed grant administration logistics and volunteer workload; no final staffing changes were approved at the meeting.