Commissioners waiting for more info on ambulance

BONNERS FERRY — Boundary County commissioners are waiting for more information on the Boundary County Ambulance District before leveraging more funds this year.

Earlier this month, the Idaho State Tax Commission determined the Boundary Ambulance Service did not qualify for an override levy. District officials had hoped to run a levy to generate more funds in order to continue providing its current level of service and return to full staff.

Commissioner Wally Cossiart told the Herald that the commissioners are waiting for more information before proceeding.

Commissioner Tim Bertling said the county is looking to find solutions that are solvent, rather than coming to the taxpayers requesting more money for the ambulance as they have in the past.

He added the county could levy for the ambulance next year. At this time, the commissioners decided not to move funds to the ambulance service, as doing so would take budgeted funds from other departments.

Bertling said adding funds to the ambulance service was not budgeted this year, because commissioners were under the assumption an override levy could be run in November.

At the Aug. 21 ambulance district meeting, Jeff Lindsey, BSA chief and president, said that the ambulance service may be able to recover the cost of serving as support for wildland firefighters. He said in past years the BSA has been able to cover deficits by being contracted as support for regional fires.