The Louisa County Board of Supervisors have approved the appointments of nine members to the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) System Advisory Council. The council was finalized at the supervisors meeting on February 21.

Council appointees consist of Shawn Maine, Mark Huston, Brett Shafer, Ken Stocker, Mike Delzell, Tom Bryant, Dan Conry, Bill Kemp, and Anthony Newsom. The nine represent the Louisa County Board of Supervisors, city of Columbus Junction, city of Wapello, city of Morning Sun, Wapello Community Ambulance Service, Morning Sun Ambulance Service, and Louisa County Ambulance Service respectively. Kemp and Newsom make up the two at-large members.

The EMS System Advisory Council was formed in conjunction with the designation of EMS as an essential service in the county. One of its members, Shawn Maine, spoke with KCII about the next steps now that the council is established. “The committee has to get together and then start determining what kind of costs the ambulance services are incurring, looking through balance sheets, and then make a determination on what amount of funding they need to continue their service.”

At these meetings, the council will develop a voter referendum question for a proposed tax to support EMS services in the county. Despite the potential for a tax, Maine stressed that one of the goals of the council is transparency. “Most people, including myself, are not very receptive on more taxes. If we do a tax, I want to make sure that tax is low, and that it’s going to a specific purpose, not just to a general fund.”

If a need for a tax is determined, it could be on the ballot as soon as November 7 in the city-school election.