Allen County commissioners declined to move forward with a last-minute grant opportunity for a heavily discounted ambulance Tuesday, citing concerns over ownership requirements, while also continuing discussions about a proposed EMS sales tax to sustain ambulance services in the years ahead.
The two conversations became closely linked as commissioners weighed a federal grant that could cover 95% of the cost of a new ambulance against the growing financial pressures facing Allen County EMS.
Iola Fire Chief Corey Isbell and Thrive Allen County grant writer Vickie Moss presented the grant opportunity, which would require only a 5% local match. Based on current ambulance prices, Isbell estimates the county’s share would be about $17,500.
Isbell, who is also currently serving as the county’s interim EMS director, said the proposal would allow the county to replace an aging ambulance while limiting the local financial commitment. He estimates a new ambulance could cost roughly $350,000, though prices continue to rise. In discussions with Isbell after the meeting, he said the department is looking to replace its oldest ambulance, a 2016 model, which has over 300,000 miles.
Moss explained that the grant application must be submitted by Monday and that the opportunity emerged after federal agencies released a large batch of grant programs.
“They dropped a big batch of like 19 grants on us,” she noted.
Moss said Thrive Allen County staff met with Isbell a couple weeks ago to review available opportunities and identify local needs that might fit grant requirements.
The proposal, however, comes with a complication. Moss explained that the Assistance to Firefighters Grant requires a fire department to serve as the lead applicant.
“That is the tricky part,” Moss said. Because the Iola Fire Department would be the applicant, ownership of the ambulance would remain with the city if the grant were awarded.
Moss said the grant language does not specifically require the city to own the ambulance. Rather, ownership stays with the entity that submits the application.
COMMISSION Chair David Lee said the ownership issue made him hesitant. “I’ll be honest, I was excited until that,” he said.
Lee said he would support contributing the matching funds if the county ultimately retained ownership of the ambulance. “But if the county does not end up with it at the end of the day, and the city is interested in doing it, then let the city pay that sum,” he added.
Moss noted that accepting federal funding would also bring compliance requirements and restrictions on how the ambulance could be used in the future. “If you keep the equipment and you use it for the purpose it was intended, then you keep it until it’s basically worthless,” she said. If the city later wanted to use the vehicle for another purpose, additional federal approval would be required.
Commissioner Jerry Daniels questioned why ownership would transfer to the city when the county funds EMS operations. “It perplexes me that the grant says that if we buy an ambulance for the ambulance operation that’s funded by the county, it has to be owned by the city,” Daniels said.
Daniels also questioned whether there were other grant opportunities under consideration. Moss said organizers had explored fire truck funding as well, but those options did not appear to fit local needs.
“We just wanted to give you the opportunity, give you the information, and just see if we should go for it,” she said. She also apologized for the timing of the request, explaining they had only recently narrowed their options and determined that additional grant funding remained available.
