After months of discussion of putting an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) tax levy before Floyd County voters this November to help fund a new County ambulance service, officials appear to be leaning towards keeping the status quo.
The EMS Advisory Council had proposed an EMS tax levy to raise over $775,000 annually, with the primary goal of utilizing the funds to start up and operate a public ambulance service in the county. The Council has been following the lead of the Floyd County Ambulance Commission, but neither group has formally met in several weeks to keep the idea alive.
This week, the Board of Supervisors discussed an alternative plan to establish an EMS “trust fund” of about $400,000 a year for five years to continue and cover most of the subsidy payment to its current private provider, AMR Ambulance. The County, City of Charles City, and Floyd County Medical Center are sharing a cost of about $427,000 this fiscal year, which will increase by 3% to about $440,000 next year.
Board Chair Mark Kuhn proposed the plan.
Charles City Mayor Dean Andrews told Supervisors the plan is on the right path.
Supervisor Jim Jorgensen, a non-voting member of the EMS Advisory Council agreed exploring other options is a must.
Kuhn also noted that maintaining ambulance service is the goal for all parties involved.
The issue was only a discussion item on the Board’s agenda, so Supervisors could take no formal action on the measure.
An EMS tax levy will require a 60% majority YES vote to pass on November 5th, if its still on the ballot. A similar measure failed in 2022, garnering only 52% of the YES ballots.
