(PHOTO BY JENNA FRISBY / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
LEVY MEETING … Thirty-four individuals were present for the Williams County Commissioners evening meeting on Tuesday to discuss the EMS Levy. The levy is asking for 1.85 Mill and is a renewable 5 year levy.
By: Jenna Frisby
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jenna@thevillagereporter.com
The Williams County Commissioners met on Tuesday, July 23rd. Their meeting held in the East Annex Building Conference room. All general public were invited to attend the meeting as it was set at a special evening time so that the public could join in discussion of the EMS Levy that was being decided on.
The meeting was called to order by Commissioner Bart Westfall at 7:00pm. In attendance were Commissioners Bart Westfall, Terry Rummel and Lew Hilkert, Clerk Anne Retcher, EMS Chief Kyle Brigle, EMS Assistant Chief Jesse Brumbaugh, EMS Office Manager Tiffany Gutierrez, Williams County Prosecutor Katherine Zartman, along with 26 community residents.
After calling the meeting to order Westfall asked Retcher for any business to be brought before the board. Retcher then presented the following resolutions:
Resolution 24-0255: a resolution approving the county auditor to create new lines and make supplemental appropriations from and to the following funds:
Williams County Common Pleas Court – $550.00 from Unappropriated to Seminars & Training for the Fall OAM Seminar and reimbursement
Williams Hillside County Living – $1,740.00 from Unappropriated to Repair-Equipment for Blind Replacement; $3,899.73 from Unappropriated to Repair-Equipment for Floor Replacement
Williams County Juvenile Court – $56,489.31 from Unappropriated to Salaries-Employees ($27,140.61), to Medicare ($258.59), to Public Employees Retirement ($4,200.81), to Administration Reimbursement ($4,613.98), to Insurance-Health ($20,275.32) for an increase of the 2024 budget due to extension for the 2022 ARPA Court Backlog Grant for Juvenile Court through 12/31/2024. Including an adjustment back to A00 Unapp and B19 fund for 2023 salaries that can be offset from the grant.
Resolution 24-0256: a resolution appointing Vond Hall as county administrator, effective August 12, 2024.
Resolution 24-0257: a resolution approving the grant agreement submitted by Williams County Engineer, Todd Roth, for $175,000 towards the Ohio Public Works Commission Project Hickory Hills Wastewater Treatment Plant Replacement.
Resolution 24-0258: a resolution approving the grant agreement submitted by Williams County Engineer, Todd Roth, for $175,000 towards the Ohio Public Works Commission Project County Road K & 21 Bridge Replacement.
Resolution 24-0259: a resolution entering into a rental agreement with the Williams County Department of Aging to rent the Williams County Veterans Building for their Thanksgiving Dinner on November 20, as well as November 21 for clean up. Cost of rental is $425.00 ($175.00 refundable deposit plus $250 rental charge).
Resolution 24-0260: a resolution establishing the effective date of health insurance coverage for newly hired Assistant Prosecutor, Emil Gravelle, as August 1, 2024.
All resolutions were carried out by motions made by Rommel, seconded by Hilkert and with Westfall in agreement.
Retcher then presented the commissioners with other documents to be reviewed by the commissioners including: a courthouse permit for the Christkindl Market (November 29-December 21, 2024), and the Dog Warden’s Report for July 15-21.
Rummel then made a motion to pay the bills as submitted by the county auditor, and then to approve the minutes as provided, dated July 18, 2024. Hilkert seconded with Westfall in agreement.
Commissioner Hilkert then introduced the new County Administrator, Vond Hall, to the room. Hall comes to the county with 31 years of prior county administration experience as well as 5 years before that spent in municipality roles. Hall stood up and acknowledged the crowd.
Commissioner Westfall then began discussing the next, and only other topic on the agenda, the EMS Levy. The proposed levy to be discussed is for 1.85 mil as a 5 year renewable levy.
This levy differs from the original levy that EMS asked for that failed because it is significantly less, and this levy would keep transfers. The original levy was for a 3 mill levy with no more transfers. EMS has decided to keep transfers as those are many times what keeps the lights on for them and keeps them in the black.
They also were able to lower the price of the levy by being able to “rebound” some of their units in the fleet.
To “rebound” a unit would mean that the current unit’s box would be taken off the chassis and placed on a new chassis. This is significantly less than buying a new ambulance but it can only be done so many times before the box itself will need to be replaced.
At this time the fleet that EMS has contains eight ambulances. All of which have over 240,000 miles on them individually. Many of the ambulances need work done on them as well as needing updated equipment within them.
Commissioner Rummel discussed with the room the newest discovery that the EMS has come across in regards to House Bill 388. This house bill withholds the EMS from balance patient billing. Meaning that she monies they can go after and some they cannot because of the special rules of House Bill 388.
Assistant Chief Brumbaugh then went over the financial outlook, without the levy, in detail for everyone. Right now projected revenue is sitting at $1,958,625.18 with projected expenses being $3,919,361.12. This means the EMS would have a deficit of -$1,960,735.97.
Assistant Chief Brumbaugh then also discussed that as of right now if the levy passes and they are able to get another ambulance into the county, it’s perspective location would be in West Unity, which would help aide in drastically reducing response times across the county.
Right now the county runs with only 2 units at night. Typically those units are posted in Bryan and Montpelier. However, many of times they have to make transfers throughout which leaves one unit unavailable while they make that transfer, and the other unit being the only unit to cover the entire county.
As members of the public began to speak, it seemed that no one was against the EMS, rather they did not agree with the system in how the levy would effect those who may not even have a say on it.
The greatest voice of this was from several farmers who spoke. Marvin Dietsch was the first farmer to speak about the consequences the levy would have on his farm, raising his taxes around $1,200. And it wont just be farmers, but also all land owners.
That was another topic of discussion that was repeatedly asked about, whether or not there was another way to form the levy to where all residents pay on the levy and not just those with real estate or property. At this point the commissioners and EMS have not found any other way to form a levy other than through real estate tax.
EMS Office Manager Tiffany Gutierrez did mention that if the levy is put in place, it would meant that any land owners, or those who contribute to the levy tax, and have private pay insurance, will not be balance billed if they need the assistance of the EMS.
In other words, those who contribute to the EMS levy and are insured through a private pay insurance (not Medicare or Medicaid, or oiut-of-network providers), their insurance will be billed and whatever their insurance does not cover will be written off my the EMS.
The next topic that was discussed periodically was the transfers. Transfers are whenever an ambulance unit has to be marked as unavailable because they are transporting an individual. For example someone is at Parkview Hospital in Bryan but needs transferred to Fort Wayne for more extensive care.
When an ambulance unit transfers that individual they are now unavailable. When this happenes between 8pm-8am when the county only runs 2 units, it leave an immense strain on the single unit left behind. And response time can sky rocket.
Right now the National and Ohio average response time is between 7-8 minutes. The goal is always to be under 10 minutes and according to Chief Brigle they aren’t close to that right now. Other agencies have tried to come in and do transfers as well. Those would be private pay companies.
Of the two that have come into the county to do said transfers, both have left and failed because of the cost in doing them. And at this time, Parkview does not have any interest in providing any sort of ambulance service in this area.
With Williams County having 420,700 square miles of area to cover, it is a big job and responsibility to get to those in need.
Another aspect of this levy is recognizing that the EMS in the state of Ohio is not a required service. Although Williams County EMS doesn’t plan on going anywhere, it is important to recognize that the service is not required by the state. Whereas police and fire are.
Bryan’s Mayor Carrie Schlade spoke commending the EMS on their service. She then discussed that she felt their was a lack of engagement with the Bryan Fire Department, an area that she wishes would be explored.
Up until June of 2023 the Bryan Fire Department actually had their own ambulance unit. However, because it was not being utilized and there was some aging happening it made more sense for the department to sell it.
Mayor Schlade also spoke on how many of the Bryan firefighters are part-time EMS workers so they are qualified as first responders.
She also expressed her desires for them to reengage in conversation about the EMS and Bryan Fire Department joining together to work together in solving the problems they have arising for the community. Mayor Schlage’s first priority has always been the safety of the community.
Edgerton’s Mayor Bob Day also was present at the meting and spoke before the commissioners and EMS. He expressed that he loved the fact that the levy presented was renewable as it keeps the EMS accountable and responsible for the monies collected. He then presented them with a question in regards to how transfers work with a 911 situation.
Chief Brigle stated that 911 always takes precedent and the transfer will be put on hold and have to wait. Mayor Day then spoke that he understands it’s a hard place for them to be in with this levy as they have to run the EMS as a business but if it’s your loved one that’s bleeding out, all that goes out the window and money no longer matters.
Last to speak was Bob Short, who presented himself as a Millcreek Township Farmer. Short briefly shared with the room that he had been a 45 year veteran of the fire service, something he first joined in 1978. He has also been a first responder since 2007.
He was also part of the group of individuals who headed up the Alvorton and Pioneer fire departments and both of them have been successful and are all volunteer.
Short spoke on the importance of getting behind the levy, and that there needs to be an immense amount of educating the people happening.
He believes that when people are educated then their perspectives will change. He also expressed that it’s our job to provide the best level of care of our loved ones and each other as a community. And in order to do that, it’s expensive. He encouraged everyone to look at the big picture with this levy.
Short then shared how he was not in agreement with the last levy, but this levy he is, and he’s honored to be on the levy board for this one.
Short also shared that EMT’s are underpaid, and this levy would help bring in enough funding to have an effectively run EMS, without having EMT’s having to leave because they need the higher wages that are offered elsewhere.
Commissioner Rummel then shared with the group that he wrote some take-aways down from the meeting. Those being: to have a meeting and collaborate with Mayor Schlade and the Bryan FD Chief Pool, non-critical transfers need further discussion, and the aging fleet needs a concrete plan to get ahead (this is something that needs to be done regardless of if the levy passed or not).
Right now the turn around time for ordering a brand new ambulance is having delivery in 36 months. To have a “rebound” completed on an ambulance the turn around time is anywhere from 120-150 days.
Commissioner Hilkert then spoke on the response times to the east side of the county. Currently, those response times are horrible because they do not have enough units out to be able to effectively cover that area.
If the levy passes and they are able to add an additional ambulance unit to West Unity, it would make a vast difference in not only response times, but the area that is able to be covered.
Commissioner Westfall then asked if anyone else had anything further to discuss. With nothing further to discuss, Westfall asked Retcher to read the EMS proposed resolution.
Resolution 24-0252: a resolution of necessity – requesting the county auditor to certify certain tax valuation information in anticipation of levying a tax in excess of the ten-mill limitation pursuant of Ohio revised code section 5705.03(B). The levy would be for 1.85 mill and is a 5 year renewable levy providing ambulance services, emergency medical service, or both.
Commissioner Rummel made the motion for the levy with Hilkert seconding and Westfall in agreement.
The levy will now go to the Board of Elections to be placed on the November ballot.
Commissioner Westfall then thanked everyone for coming out and bringing their interests, comments, and feedback. With no further business, Westfall adjourned the meeting at 8:48pm.
