Commissioner wants to finish hashing out EMS ordinance in 2 weeks

He suggested bringing the proposal back to the table in two weeks.

Commissioners have been discussing the possibility for going on three years of a countywide fee to help fund ambulance services. Those discussions picked up over the last year, as they provided money to the remaining five services. In October, Smith prepared a draft ordinance, based on those of several other counties, and asked the other commissioners to send him their proposed changes to the draft.

State law requires county commissions to provide ambulance service, but it does not specify how it is to be done. It does allow for the collection of a fee, which must be enacted by commissioners passing an ordinance, or for putting a levy before voters.

A work session was held last week on the draft, but nothing was finalized. The county has hired GST to help with identifying the number of billable structures in the county and developing the ordinance. It met with Matt Frieyer of the company last week.

Smith said Tuesday that once Frieyer provides information on the number of billable structures, it should be possible to plug in the estimated annual fee that would need to be charged in order to collect the total needed for EMS.

So far commissioners have not agreed how much is needed.

“I don’t know where else we can go with the thing, to keep it moving. I think it’s important that we keep it moving,” said Price, who has been an advocate for the ambulance services during his time on the commission. His term ends Dec. 31.

“I think we could do everything and then fill in the blanks on the numbers,” Price said.

He noted commissioners have agreed in general that there would be a Homestead Exemption for the fee, that the annual fee be as low as possible and would be adjusted annually to meet needs, and that some of the funds will be put into a reserve account for special equipment purchases or large expenses, among other things.

Commission President Samantha Stone said that she is “still working through” some of the ideas.

“I think I’m ready to sit around the table and go through it and then give it to the ordinance folks in our prosecutor’s office and let them put it together,” Price said.

Smith again asked Stone and Price to send him their recommendations to be included in the draft. Commissioners generally favor an ordinance similar to that enacted in Hampshire County. But they have not agreed on a fee.

“Really that does boil down to how many households, how many businesses and things like that,” Smith said Tuesday. “Once Matt gets us that number, we can do the math pretty easily that this is what it should be.”

Commissioners also:

• Passed a resolution making the Preston County Economic Development Authority (PCEDA) the lead economic development agency in the county, making it eligible for the annual state Local Economic Development Grant of $22,727.

PCEDA Executive Director Robbie Baylor reminded commissioners that changes in state law also allow it to give hotel/motel tax receipts to economic development authorities and asked for consideration for future funding.

• Were told that three more proposed recipients of American Rescue Plan Act funds should be ready to sign paperwork, finalizing the awards, at the next commission meeting.

• Extended Nicole Larew Goff’s employment as a part-time worker at the Preston County Animal Shelter for another 10 weeks, beginning Dec. 1, at the salary of $12 an hour for up to 18 hours per week. She will be helping while a regular employee is on leave.