Questions Still to be Answered for Public Chickasaw County Ambulance
Questions remain as officials in Chickasaw County continue exploring the prospects of a public-run ambulance service.
The Chickasaw County Board of Supervisors and the Chickasaw County Ambulance Council held a joint meeting Tuesday night to further discuss operating the county’s own ambulance service, which would need to be in place by January 1, 2023. Current provider, Jeremy McGrath and Chickasaw Ambulance Services, says he won’t extend his contract past the current expiration date of December 31st.
That gives the county seven months to establish a public ambulance service. If the County were to purchase McGrath’s ambulances and equipment, he says it would be “turn-key” and allow the County to, for the most part, hit the ground running with its operations.
Where they would be located is to be determined, with the soon-to-be vacant Heritage property on the southside of New Hampton as a possible option. Supervisor Matthew Kuhn said location depends a lot on staffing.
The County could devote up to $1.7 million in county ARPA funds for startup costs, but Supervisor Tim Zoll noted costs don’t end there.
Municipalities in the Ambulance Council would be asked to cover wages and general operating expenses, with their monetary commitment, under their current 28E agreement, on a per capita basis. That number is likely to go up with a public ambulance service and ambulance council members are to take the matter to their respective city councils prior to the next joint ambulance meeting on June 15th.
