Chilton County Commissioners are discussing ways to fund a county-operated ambulance service, which the county has not previously had due to financial constraints.
Chilton County is currently served by Regional Paramedical Services, but there is no active contract between RPS and the county and as of 2021, one no longer exists.
Nic Bolton, director of the Chilton County EMA, said RPS is using Chilton County’s services “out of the goodness of its heart” after the company has been providing services to the county for nearly 25 years.
The contract between the county and RPS expired in 2021 after an agreement on contract numbers could not be reached. Bolton said contract negotiations included RPS asking the county for $300,000 to maintain service in Chilton County and another $600,000 to add units.
“We spent $900,000 just to keep them here, and the county said we could probably do it ourselves,” Bolton said.
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The idea of funding a county-operated ambulance service was raised at the Chilton County Commission meeting on Tuesday.
To fund the county’s emergency services, county leaders discussed the possibility of adding a $15 fee to all license plate costs.
It is estimated that the county’s ambulance service would cost $2.4 million, with $1.5 million covered by the vehicle fee and the remaining funds coming from corporate revenue.
This fee would guarantee three ambulances and one escort vehicle to be used and serve exclusively in Chilton County.
County leaders want the decision on vehicle fees to remain in the hands of Chilton County residents.
“We want the people to vote on this. We can ask the legislature to allow us to impose this fee, but I as chairman of the commission and the majority of the commission don’t think that’s fair. We think the people should have a say through their vote,” said Chilton County Commissioner Randell Kelley.
Commissioner Kelley said the idea is to send a resolution to the legislature for a special vote on imposing a license plate fee.
If the vehicle fee is introduced, it would take almost three years before the district’s emergency services could begin operations.
