Ambulance petition gets major makeover in a hurry

A proposal aimed at maintaining advanced life support ambulance service in Stillwater County is going through major changes, with the old petition heading to the shredder and a new one being drafted.
The initial proposal was to create a countywide ambulance service supported by a mill levy that would provide funding for four Columbus Fire Rescue crew members with advanced life support (ALS) credentials whose current SAFER grant funding will run out at the end of 2017.
Columbus, Absarokee and Park City would have continued to operate as before, with an interlocal agreement that would proportionally distribute the mill levy revenue according to dispatch call volume.
The new proposal calls for creating an ambulance district that roughly fits within the boundaries of the Columbus city and rural fire districts, which includes Reed Point, together with the Rapelje area, Columbus Fire Chief Rich Cowger said this week. It will be organized as a district with an elected board of trustees.
It will not include Absarokee or Park City. The smaller size means the tax impact will be slightly higher – perhaps $24 per year on a home with a market value of $200,000, Cowger said.
The new petition is still being drafted but could be out gathering signatures this week. According to Stillwater County Clerk and Recorder Heidi Stadel, there are 2,873 registered voters in the proposed district area.
If supporters can gather signatures from more than 50 percent of the registered voters, the district could be created without going to an election – which would help get the district created in time to benefit from next year’s taxes, Cowger said.

BEYOND ALS
Providing ALS service in the county is not the only issue.
Both Park City and Absarokee’s ambulance lack the manpower to handle all their calls. According to Stillwater County Sheriff’s Dispatch records, Columbus Fire Rescue responds on a four-year average to 36 percent of ambulance calls in the Absarokee area and 29 percent of ambulance calls in the Park City area.

RESISTANCE
Cowger said more than 500 people signed the original petition – including overwhelming support in Columbus and about 60 to 70 people from the south part of the county.
Resistance from Absarokee first responders that started to become personal and Park City’s proximity to Billings prompted the petition change, Cowger said.
Absarokee Fire Chief Cody Keller said this week he was opposed to the idea because he believes taxes that originate from Absarokee taxpayers should stay in Absarokee.
The Absarokee Fire District board of trustees will meet on Aug. 11, at which time it will likely discuss the matter, Absarokee Assistant Fire Chief Corey Arnold said.