By Brooke McAfee
The Evening News and the Tribune
FLOYD COUNTY, Ind. 鈥� The Floyd County Council is debating potential funding sources for EMS coverage, but opinions are mixed on which way to proceed.
The council met for a Monday workshop to discuss EMS funding.
Last week, the Floyd County Commissioners voted to pursue contract negotiations with AmeriPro Health. The Floyd County Council will have the final say on whether to fund a contract with the ambulance provider.
The commissioners rejected a bid from New Chapel EMS, the county鈥檚 current ambulance provider. The contract will expire at the end of May.
The agency did not provide the requested financial information in its bid, and it is facing scrutiny due to criminal charges against its co-founder, Jamey Noel.
Although the commissioners opted to negotiate with a private contractor, council members continue to examine options for a fire-based EMS service, including a proposal by Highlander Fire District.
The commissioners rejected a recommendation from Floyd County鈥檚 EMS advisory board to reject both bids from AmeriPro and New Chapel.
Floyd County Council President Danny Short said the county needs to look 鈥渙ne to two years out.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檙e all in agreement and I think most everybody listening is in agreement that we don鈥檛 want this privatized forever,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f we do this, it鈥檚 until something else gets up to speed.鈥�
鈥淲e need to look one to two years out. How can we sustain it for a minimum of one year and a maximum of a three-year contract.鈥�
The existing New Chapel contract costs an annual $220,000, while AmeriPro鈥檚 proposal is projected to cost about $1.5 million a year.
Short said his 鈥渇irst choice鈥� would be using funds from the county鈥檚 Legacy Foundation, saying he would like to see the use of at 鈥渓east the overage of what we don鈥檛 use every year.鈥�
鈥淭hat frees up a minimum of $350,000 per year,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a start.鈥�
Floyd County Council Member Denise Konkle said the county should explore that option, but that decision would be up to the Legacy Foundation鈥檚 board.
The county could also look into using a small portion of the foundation鈥檚 principal funds, which would not affect its grant-making, Short said.
鈥淭here鈥檚 still $750,000 in interest generated to grants that we only grant less than $500,000 a year, so it wouldn鈥檛 be affecting any of Legacy鈥檚 operations,鈥� he said.
He said the foundation was created 鈥渇or the betterment of the county.鈥�
鈥淲hat better way to serve the county than by subsidizing EMS,鈥� Short said.
The council should also consider 鈥渃ommissioner buy-in鈥� as a funding option, Short said.
鈥淚鈥檝e caught some signals that there would be some willingness to find some funds,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not sure the depth of that, but I think the commissioners understand that they鈥檙e asking quite a bit of us.鈥�
Floyd County Council Member Dale Bagshaw suggested temporarily using rainy day funding to cover the AmeriPro contract, which would only be for half a year in 2024.
鈥淚n my opinion, we should fund at least the end of the year through the rainy day fund as we start this process going through the negotiation of getting the EMS system in our county that everyone can be happy and pleased with,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 doubt that will ever happen, but we can work toward that end.鈥�
Short questioned whether the county could consider adjusting benefits such as the Public Employees鈥� Retirement Fund.
Floyd County Council Member Jim Freiberger said the council could look into potential savings related to health care for county employees. He also suggested exploring excess riverboat funds but acknowledged that it would not be 鈥渂ig numbers.鈥�
Konkle said she does not know how the county can fund AmeriPro without raising taxes in 2025 but suggested that the fire-based option would allow for funding without any tax increases.
鈥淲e have to provide a good service 鈥� excellent service 鈥� for the entire county,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut we need to do it with the taxpayers in mind.鈥�
The council discussed Highlander鈥檚 proposed EMS option, which would cost $802,000 for the first year.
Konkle said Highlander will be receiving additional funding in 2025, including revenue related to recent changes in state law. The fire district will recover more than $1.1 million in miscellaneous revenue next year that it was not eligible to receive this year.
Highlander鈥檚 option does not include New Albany Township or part of Franklin Township. It would include two full-time ambulances and another for peak hours, as well as a fourth 鈥渟urge truck.鈥�
The AmeriPro contract calls for three ambulances and a paramedic response vehicle.
Floyd County Council Member Brad Striegel said the New Albany Township Fire contract with New Chapel includes both fire and EMS.
鈥淭he New Albany Township Fire Board contract says that they are understanding that they have a statutory duty to provide those services,鈥� he said. 鈥淓ither one of two things are happening: we鈥檙e having that box checked by the commissioners and they鈥檙e not paying for that, or New Chapel鈥檚 been double dipping. I don鈥檛 know which one it is.鈥�
Floyd County Council Member Connie Moon criticized Highlander鈥檚 proposal due to the lack of countywide coverage and other concerns.
She also does not feel Highlander would be able to be 鈥渦p and running鈥� by June. She also has concerns that the department 鈥渄oes not play well with others.鈥�
Moon said when Highlander 鈥渄id have the ability to transport, they pick and choose who they are going to transport and not transport.鈥�
鈥淚 don鈥檛 care if you have a bigger unit or if you have a better truck that is two years newer,鈥� she said. 鈥淚f you are not in it for the people, that鈥檚 where the issue lies. And there are people who are in it for the people... but you have to be a team player.鈥�
Freiberger said he was disappointed that the commissioners rejected the Floyd County EMS advisory board鈥檚 recommendation.
He feels the county needs to still consider the Highlander proposal.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think we can discard that,鈥� Freiberger said.
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