WAGONER COUNTY, Okla. — Wagoner County residents will soon cast ballots on eight propositions in March, but one is sparking some concern, especially with firefighters.
District 3 Wagoner County Commissioner Tim Kelly said Wagoner County needs ambulances, especially in the municipal areas.
"We need ambulances. We need help," Kelly said
He was one of three panelists, alongside Wagoner County Engineer Rachael Cooper, at a public forum on Feb. 1.
Several propositions will be up for vote next month, but the proposition to form a county-wide ambulance service to meet high growth needs is creating the most animosity.
"We need to know what's going on. We need answers," said Okay resident Donna Merrill.
Wagoner County is promoting .15% percent of a .3% permanent fire sales tax to be diverted to form a county-wide ambulance service. The fire sales tax, passed in 2006, primarily funds all fourteen Wagoner County fire departments.
That even applies to Oak Grove Volunteer Fire Department, according to Chief Riley Shepherd.
"It's important that we have a good established fire department to attract those people and continue serving the community," Shepherd said. "It's going to hurt us big time."
Chief Shepherd says when you take away from a volunteer fire department, you're taking away resources they need, like getting equipment and funding training the firefighters need to be effective.
If passed, Chief Shepherd says they'd lose $100,000 a year.
Cooper says all of Wagoner County's fire departments bring in roughly $16,000 a month. The county is proposing to take half of that to establish a county ambulance service.
It will have 2-4 ambulances to start at a location between Wagoner and Coweta.
"The proposal would reduce fire department revenue to about 8,000 a month and more than cover indebtedness," Cooper said.
Chief Shepherd says his area won't benefit from the county ambulance service.
"Our ambulance comes out of Catoosa from Pafford. We don't have an ambulance issue. We're not going to get to use those ambulances they're adding up here, but our residences will be suffering in their fire protection," Shepherd said.
Wagoner County's ambulance service currently comes from Wagoner, Coweta, and Broken Arrow. If needed, it also uses Mayes and Muskogee counties.
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