Committee narrows countywide EMS contract term to five years to allow performance measurement

County staff advised the Public Safety Committee that, while work-group proposals had ranged from three to ten years, an initial five-year agreement was a reasonable compromise that allows sufficient time to collect meaningful performance data and to align decisions with the county's biennial budget cycle.

"Our recommendation from our side of this bench is about a five-year agreement," staff member Dave told the committee, explaining that a three-year term combined with the 18‑month budget-notice requirement would not give committees enough time to evaluate smart-goal performance. Staff also noted the proposal had been discussed at length by chiefs and municipal leaders; supervisors said an odd-numbered five-year term helps get the contract back onto the county's budget schedule.

Several supervisors expressed concern that the 18‑month 'freeze' notice means any decision to change funding would not affect the next immediate budget year. Committee members asked staff to ensure monitoring and reporting timelines allow earlier intervention where possible, even as they favored a five‑year initial term to assess the program.