By Christopher Harris
Commonwealth Journal
PULASKI COUNTY, Ky. 鈥� In what was otherwise a quiet and quick meeting of the Pulaski County Fiscal Court, the most significant discussion revolved around the morale of local EMS personnel 鈥� and how to potentially find more money for them.
In the citizens鈥� comments section of Tuesday鈥檚 Fiscal Court meeting, David Sparks, a former paramedic and member of the Somerset-Pulaski County EMS unit鈥檚 advisory committee, came to talk about concerns he had regarding how its members are compensated and the state of the roster, which he said is currently down 10 employees.
鈥淲e鈥檙e losing our paramedics; we鈥檙e a training ground for agencies around us,鈥� Sparks told the magistrates and Pulaski County Judge-Executive Marshall Todd. 鈥淲e鈥檙e losing them to agencies around us where they can make more money and less runs.鈥�
A new paramedic hire coming into Pulaski鈥檚 EMS squad starts at $16.25 an hour, said Sparks, and an advanced EMT starts at $14 per hour. He noted that several surrounding counties start theirs out at more than $20 an hour, such as Jessamine and Boyle Counties.
鈥淲e鈥檙e looking at an EMS that鈥檚 extremely busy, and is on target to do 13,000 runs by the end of the year,鈥� he said, adding that they average 40 runs in a 24-hour shift.
Sparks urged the court to consider 鈥渁ny and all options鈥� to increase pay for EMS personnel, and specifically suggested creating an ambulance tax district, though he noted it would not be a 鈥減opular鈥� option.
鈥淲e can鈥檛 keep kicking this can down the road; we鈥檝e got to address this,鈥� he said. "... We just need to figure out the solution to this.鈥�
Mark Ranshaw, Fourth District Magistrate, responded to Sparks, saying that he speaks with EMS employees frequently, and agreed that morale is an issue but said it鈥檚 about more than pay. He also pointed to the City of Somerset鈥檚 role, observing that it manages EMS while the county contributes about $1.4 million to it annually, and that their budget doesn鈥檛 currently allow them to put forth any significant amount more.
鈥淭he city sets the EMS pay ... We can only help with funds,鈥� said Ranshaw. 鈥淚t is something that maybe the mayor needs to look at, at how he can fund EMS better.鈥�
Those comments were particularly notable as Somerset Mayor Alan Keck was in attendance at Tuesday鈥檚 meeting as part of the audience.
Todd said that he and Keck have discussed the issue together, and said that the problem will 鈥渉ave to be addressed eventually, but we鈥檒l look at all options and see what we can do.鈥�
That wasn鈥檛 the only time Keck was mentioned during the meeting. Earlier in the agenda, Todd mentioned having attended task force meetings on Kentucky Senate Bill 141, which pauses city annexations until July of 2024. The bill addresses collection procedures for property taxes.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e studying that for a year to (figure out) how to make it work with city annexation and county property,鈥� said Todd. "... They鈥檒l be done with their study in November, to see how city (and) county government can better work together with occupational tax and fire insurance premium tax.
鈥淭his is the first time the counties have had any say-so or any kind of word to get in on (the) discussion with the annexation that takes place,鈥� he added. 鈥淚鈥檓 very involved with it, and we want to be heard while we have the chance, because they鈥檙e going to come out with a decision here in November going forward. ... I know the mayor is sitting here and he鈥檚 probably going to oppose it, but I feel like we need to represent the county.鈥�
Pulaski County Attorney Martin Hatfield said that he had been contacted by KACo (Kentucky Association of Counties) on the matter, to learn more about the agreements that local city and county government have, 鈥渨hich embodies a situation ... where city and county governments can work together on that particular issue in a way that鈥檚 beneficial to the county as a whole.鈥� He added that the work that local agencies have done in addressing occupational tax distribution is being seen outside the county as 鈥渂etter practices, the way to do business. So kudos to the mayor and the magistrates for doing that.鈥�
In other fiscal court business:
鈥擳he court approved having a public hearing to take Rocky Branch Road into the county鈥檚 system, and also assigning a couple of magistrates to look at Nicholas Lane and the possibility of removing it from the county鈥檚 care.
鈥擜 transfer personnel request, moving Tommy Barnett to the county鈥檚 solid waste department, was approved.
鈥擳he court approved jailer Anthony McCollum鈥檚 request to bid out for mobile inmate tracking software, that provides convenient real-time data on an inmate鈥檚 location 鈥� McCollum said that the jail has a full grant secured for the software鈥檚 purchase.
鈥擯ulaski County Public Safety Director Stacy Halcomb told the court that the Nancy Fire Department has requested acceptance of a bid from Southeast Apparatus for $484,745 for a new fire truck, with a delivery date in 18 to 22 months. A bid for a truck for the Haynes Knob Fire Department from Vogelpohl Fire Equipment of $498,052 was also presented, with a delivery date in 870 days. Both bids were approved by the magistrates.
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