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Residents press questions as county EMS outlines Plattekill ambulance-district plan
Summary
During a public hearing on creating an ambulance tax district, residents raised concerns about volunteer rescue squads, billing and taxes. County EMS staff said local ambulances would remain through 2027, BLS first-response units will be rostered, and a proposed 98¢ per $1,000 assessed-value levy would fund regionalized coverage.
The Plattekill Town Board held a public hearing on a proposed ambulance (EMS) district that drew sustained resident questions about volunteer rescue services, billing and potential taxes. County EMS Director Rich Miller described a regionalized, shared-services plan intended to deliver 24/7 advanced-life-support coverage while easing volunteer workload.
"My name is Rich Miller. I'm the director of EMS...the plan actually addresses what it is that you're concerned about," Miller said, explaining that local ambulances would be kept through 2027 while older transport units are converted to rostered Basic Life Support (BLS) first-response vehicles. He said the BLS trucks would be equipped with cardiac monitors and CPR devices and could respond faster because caretakers would be dispatched from their homes.
Residents pressed on cost and billing. Officials cited an example tax assessment rate of 98 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, explaining that a $100,000 property would pay roughly $98 annually. Miller said county billing would use a billing agent that retains a 4% administrative fee and that the county would not pursue collections against low-income residents, in contrast to private commercial providers.
The meeting included data claims and examples: officials said a nearby community's response percentage rose and county-handled responses were reported as 100% over a six-month review period, which staff used to support the shared-services approach. Residents asked for more clarity on meeting notice and how preexisting district levies or payments would be reconciled with a new ambulance tax district.
The board recorded motions to close public hearings and to continue discussions with the county and local fire districts; the transcript includes motions and vote calls but does not provide formal vote tallies in the provided segments. The board said it would meet with the EMS committee and the county to finalize dollar figures and implementation details before making a final vote.
