County EMS leaders told commissioners on Dec. 3 that new wage requirements and rising operating costs will push EMS personnel expenses higher and that modest fee increases are proposed to keep the enterprise fund balanced.

"We are going to experience some significant increase in operational costs due to personnel services, insurance, medical supplies," Chief Hoy said as he reviewed a proposed fee schedule and budget adjustments. The EMS chief said staff had revised the 2026 revenue forecast down slightly to a conservative $5.8 million while proposing a 6–7% rise to base fees and a $0.50 per-mile increase for ambulance transports.

Staff also said state implementation of a statute (referred to in the meeting as House Bill 567) required raising entry-level EMT pay (the example given moved an entry-level rate from $13.75 to $15) and adjusting step scales to avoid compression. That change, together with step and scale realignments, was estimated to add roughly $160,000 to personnel services across EMS operations.

Commissioners questioned shift schedules, on-call expectations and overtime exposures. Some raised concerns about compensating employees for rest-time when they remain available for calls; staff said federal adjudications limit how agencies treat on-site rest without pay and that failure to comply can result in penalties.

EMS also outlined capital and operational items for the coming year, including ambulances already ordered (staff said the purchase will be reflected in the 2025 books) and a proposed radio service monitor to bring recalibration services in-house. The EMS chief and finance staff said the department will continue tracking GEMT and other reimbursements that offset operational costs.

The commission asked for line-item detail and for staff to run scenarios that combine COLA alternatives and flat-dollar supplements before deciding during next week's budget sessions.

The Commission recessed after scheduling follow-up budget deliberations.