EMS director presents $371,000 projection, flags shortfall in collections
Summary
The county's EMS director presented a 2026 budget projection showing roughly $371,000 in expenses and noted slow insurance collections so far; commissioners requested a comparative financial statement and follow-up next week.
Tony, the county EMS director, told the commission he annualized the first-quarter expenses to project the 2026 budget and found “Our total expenditures, we're looking at about $371,001.22.”
He listed major line items that drive that total — projected payroll of $259,007.52, insurance billing of $142,009.92, fuel and medical-supplies costs, and a vehicle-maintenance estimate — and said collections lag the billed amounts: staff have billed about $35,007.48 and received roughly $20,217.60 in payments so far. He also explained that the county uses a billing service that takes a percentage of what it collects rather than what it bills.
Commissioners pressed on staffing, overtime and how the department uses volunteer or driver staff. Tony said he has a filed variance that allows drivers to perform nonmedical transports when a licensed EMT is present and described training requirements for drivers and other personnel. The commission asked staff to prepare a side-by-side financial statement comparing EMS operations in Bennington and Minneapolis for next week's meeting.
“I'm a taxpayer as well. I don't want my taxes going up, and I don't wanna have to pay more taxes. But I know the importance of our EMS system,” Tony said during the presentation, framing the tradeoff commissioners discussed.
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