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Ambulance board seeks 35% levy increase to staff Eskridge ambulance
Summary
Wabaunsee County Ambulance District #2 board proposed a 5.810‑mill levy (a $182,627, 35% increase) to fund staffing so the Eskridge ambulance can be staffed 10 a.m.–10 p.m.; commissioners asked the board to clarify long-term coverage goals before committing to the increase.
Emergency Management Coordinator Amy Terrapin and Health Department Administrator Ray Finley told the commission that the Ambulance District #2 board is seeking a 5.810‑mill levy, an increase of $182,627 (about 35%) over the prior year to pay for additional staffing.
The board’s proposal aims to keep an ambulance in Eskridge staffed between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m.; the county currently has one fully staffed ambulance in Alma and an Advanced EMT in Eskridge who cannot transport without a driver. Terrapin and other board representatives noted staffing shortages during typical work hours as the main driver of the request for local tax support across Wabaunsee County’s roughly 800 square miles.
Commissioners expressed support for addressing coverage gaps but asked the Ambulance Board to clarify whether the levy is a single step toward a broader staffing goal or intended to establish a sustained level of permanent coverage. No formal levy vote was recorded at the July 13 meeting; the commission asked for a clearer statement of the board’s end goal for ambulance coverage before taking final action.
