Coshocton EMS levy: 'Everything is going to be on the table to figure out how we cut'
COSHOCTON − The failure of a property tax levy in the March spring primary might cost residents of Coshocton County more in the long run that passing it, according to local officials.
The 1-mill, five year levy failed by 525 votes with 3,158 votes for it and 3,683 votes against it, per unofficial vote totals from the Coshocton County Board of Elections. The Coshocton County Auditor's Office estimated it would have cost the owner of a $100,000 home $36 per year and generated about $807,000 annually.
Director Todd Shroyer said while some might not see the loss that great, he's not confident at another try in the November general election. The department has had issues trying to pass levies in the past and he fears it could lose by a greater margin with a larger voter turnout this fall. He already believes the recent levy loss could be seen by employees as a vote of no confidence and a bad beat could decrease morale further.
"My fear is, we lost by a little bit, if we come back in November and we get killed, what does that do to my crews if we lose even worse," Shroyer said. "Right now I'm trying to figure what's going to cause the least amount of damage to my people."
Coshocton County is not in the top half of salary in the region for EMTs and paramedics and while a new station was seen as enticement for workers, it can only do so much. Funding for construction of the station was separate from money for operations.
"We're going to lose some out of this, there's no way around it," Shroyer said of employees leaving. "If I was in their shoes, I'd be looking at it the exact same way. The community turned its back on us, 70% of the registered voters didn't even care enough to come out and vote... Our message didn't get out or if it did get out, they didn't care."
Shroyer expects to present a plan soon to Coshocton County Commissioners on how to make up a projected $750,000 deficit.
"We're going to have to look at everything from the top down. How we bill, how we transport; everything is going to be on the table to figure out how we cut," Shroyer said.
Cuts and billing changes
This could include subtracting a crew at the Warsaw station overnight, which averages only one call at night. Presence at sporting events and the Coshocton County Fair could be eliminated unless organizations want to pay for it.
"I'll do my best to keep a crew up there in the daytime, because we have the entire River View School District up there, but at night that's going to have to be where we make the sacrifice. It's totally a numbers ballgame," Shroyer said of Warsaw. "What's a higher priority, keeping that crew in Warsaw or covering a football game."
They're also exploring going to hard billing for those without insurance or with insurances that allow for billing of the patient, like Medicare. By law, those with Medicaid can't be billed for the difference between what it pays and the remainder. About 80% to 85% of patients per month have Medicaid.
They could also decrease services, like providing lift assists, which would fall onto local fire departments. Shroyer said they could also pursue criminal charges against those abusing 911 and draining resources. He said there is one man who calls for EMS often at night, sometimes just to get him a drink of water.
Broken funding system
Shroyer also said the state legislature has done little to support EMS across Ohio and it's reached a critical juncture overall. He said Ohio Emergency Medical Services are so underfunded basic statics haven't been updated since 2018.
"The entire EMS system in the State of Ohio is failing. We're ready to just break and we can't get anyone's attention in Columbus that they need to do something and they need to do it quick," Shroyer said.
Commissioner Dane Shryock said he believes many voters turned the levy down because they assume officials will find a way to make it work. But with EMS funding inadequate across the state and commissioners having their own budgetary concerns, there is no magic wand to wave.
"It's unfortunate that the residents may pay the price for this," Shryock said because of the lost of services. "Over the years, people have become so use to it, they believe EMS is a requirement, but by law there is no statuary requirement that (government) has to provide it. The public comprehension, I don't think they understand it, because it's been here so long and such a valuable service."
Leonard Hayhurst is a community content coordinator and general news reporter for the Coshocton Tribune with more than 15 years of local journalism experience and multiple awards from the Ohio Associated Press. He can be reached at 740-295-3417 or llhayhur@coshoctontribune.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @llhayhurst.
This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: Service cuts, billing changes possible after Coshocton EMS levy fails
