Community talks EMS

Driven by funding and staffing concerns, the Board of Weston County Commissioners began the process of potentially creating an emergency medical services district to help fund both the volunteer service in Upton and the Newcastle Ambulance Service operated by Campbell County EMS.

As previously reported, local officials were urged to explore the option of creating a district to help fund EMS services in May of last year by the entity that is currently contracted to provide those services. Shane Kirsch, with Campbell County Health EMS, discussed the option with both the commissioners and the Newcastle City Council.

At the time, Kirsch told the News Letter Journal that the taxing district would bring in roughly $400,000 annually, but the true amount collected to fund the district would depend on the number of mills approved for the district.

Campbell County Health EMS now receives a $100,000 subsidy from the city of Newcastle and about $35,000 from Weston County for services it offers here.

On May 4, 2024, the commissioners voted to move forward with the creation of the district and were supposed to review and approve a resolution in June. But, as the commission acknowledged on March 4 of this year, the process stalled and the county did not continue with it.

Kirsch asked the commission on Feb. 18 about the status of the county’s work to establish the district, and on March 4, the board picked up the discussion again when County Attorney Michael Stulken presented a resolution. It was not proposed at the time, but led to the commissioners holding a public hearing to discuss the potential district.

This meeting, held on March 31, started an at least 60-day waiting period before the board can take action to actually form the district.

Commission Chair Nathan Todd explained the process of setting up the district at the start of the meeting, and said that the district can encompass the whole county or just a portion of it.

He also said that passage of the proposed resolution would not immediately create an ambulance service run by the district, but rather that the goal would be to determine how much money is needed to help fund both EMS operations in the county. The board established by the district’s creation would ultimately be tasked, he said, with determining the financial need and submitting a proposed funding rate to the voters for approval.

A concern expressed by several people in attendance was first mentioned by Tom Streeter, who asked about a discrepancy in the amount paid by those that live in unincorporated areas of the county and those living inside municipalities.

Todd said that there is nothing in statute that allows for a different approach and that the rate paid by property owners would be based on the mills that are assessed.

William Curley suggested that there is potential that absentee landowners in the county may not have to pay the assessed fee for the district because he said that the only people that can be taxed by a district are those who benefit from the district.

“Eventually, you have to ask if those landowners benefit from the district,” Curley said.

Others expressed similar concerns — specifically regarding call times to respond to incidents in the rural areas of the county — and questioned why county residents would pay more in taxes for the district when those who live in the municipalities that house the services will benefit more.

Kari Drost shared statistics from 2022 that she says prove how disproportionate the pay would be in relation to the services provided. She said in 2022 that there were 672 total ambulance calls, 567 for Newcastle, 76 for Upton, and 22 for Osage — leaving six calls for unincorporated areas of Weston County.

“But we want to tax the county and the city at the same rate,” Drost mused.

In addition to the disparity in pay between county and city residents, Drost and others also expressed reluctance over an additional tax in general, and another concern raised by Drost involved the information that citizens would have to provide to the EMS district board. She said that state statute states that the board would have to collect the information required for them to bill your insurance.

Several people spoke in favor of the district, including Tiffony Riehemann, Upton Volunteer Fire Department EMS supervisor. She expressed concerns about funding for EMS, and said she would like to see the district come about.

Kirsch confirmed that finding financial support for the services is essential. He said that while there are a lot of unknowns, if nothing significantly changes with the way insurances reimburse the service and the continued rise in costs for supplies and equipment, there could be a day that Campbell County would no longer be able to service Weston County.

“I think if we can’t continue to at least break even from the operations over here, then we can’t be over here,” Kirsch said, noting Campbell County’s tax dollars can’t be spent on Weston County.

“The stipend we get from you guys is critical for us to stay. It allows us to break even,” he said.

“If nothing changes, I see a day we can’t afford to be over here anymore,” Kirsch continued.

When asked what the funding would do to address staffing issues, he said the additional funds would allow for an extra crew and, therefore, an additional ambulance on site in the county.

Currently, if a second call comes in while the other ambulance is in use, a crew has to respond from Gillette or Wright.

Kirsch applauded the county for exploring the option, stating that he was not there to convince people one way or another. He acknowledged that the community has a lot of homework to do.

To close the meeting, Todd asked those in the room to raise their hand if they were in favor of the county continuing to explore the EMS district option, and at the time, a majority of the people in the room raised their hands.

On April 1, however, at the board’s regular meeting, the commissioners discussed the public forum, and Commissioner Marty Ertman suggested the county hold another meeting.

Todd said he was impressed by the number of people who attended the meeting, but admitted  that he was surprised at the end by the tally of the hand vote.

“There is a lot of interest in the community to ensure that we have people to take care of our health needs,” Todd said.

State law

According to Wyoming Statute 18-12-105, a district may be created by resolution of the county commissioners. It also states that the public must be given an opportunity to provide input before the creation is official.

“Not less than sixty (60) days before any resolution pursuant to this subsection is signed, the board of county commissioners shall hold a public hearing and publish the proposed resolution, including the date and time of the public hearing, in a newspaper of general circulation in the county and on the county’s website,” the bill states. “The board of county commissioners shall submit the proposed boundaries of the district to the county assessor and the department of revenue for review for any conflict, overlap, gap or other boundary issue.”

At this point, the assessor and the Wyoming Department of Revenue may also make written comments to the county commissioners before the public hearing, but it will ultimately be up to the voters to decide how much money the district can raise.

County Attorney Michael Stulken said the statute allows for up to four mills to be approved by the voters and board of electors to provide funding for the district.

“If the district was formed under W.S. 18-12-105(b) as a district to provide emergency medical services, the tax for the district shall not exceed four (4) mills if the mills are approved by the board of directors and approved by the electors as provided in subsection (c) of this section,” the statute states.

Subsection (c) states that if the mills are approved by the district’s board of directors, the board of county commissioners “shall call an election within the district upon the question of whether the mill levy should be imposed.”

It notes that the “mill levy is effective only if the question is approved by a majority of those voting thereon within the district providing emergency medical services. The cost of any special election under this subsection shall be borne by the board of directors.”

Subsection (d) further states that “if the proposition to authorize a mill levy is approved, the tax shall remain in effect until a petition to discontinue the tax, signed by not less than ten percent (10%) of the voters of the district, is received by the board of county commissioners, at which time the proposal to discontinue the tax shall be submitted to the voters of the district at the expense of the county at the next general election. If the proposition to impose or discontinue the tax is defeated, the proposition shall not again be submitted to the electors for at least twenty-three (23) months.”