Voters reject proposals for ambulance district, jail
Lincoln County voters decisively rejected two ballot propositions during a special election on Tuesday.
Proposition 1 was for establishing an Emergency Medical Service District, and commonly referred to as a countywide ambulance service district.
Proposition 2 was for construction of a new $13.5 million county jail.
Vote total on the jail issue showed 521 votes in favor with 1,881 voting against it.
The total vote on the ambulance issue was 873 for it, and 1,533 opposing it.
County Election Board Secretary Melissa Stambaugh Tuesday evening said, “the results are unofficial. Final results will be certified at 5 p.m. Friday evening.
County Commission Chairman Lee Doolen said Tuesday night following the election, “Looks like the people have spoken. That’s why I love county government. We can ask people and they can tell us yes or no.”
County Sheriff Charlie Dougherty also commented on the results, saying, “It is what is. The numbers speak for themselves. I’m pleased the voters came out and voiced their opinion,” Dougherty said.
“I’m disappointed. There was a lot of work put into this. We’ll go back to the drawing board,” he added.
He emphasized, “We still have to operate like we have been, we can’t shut the doors. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. We still have to try and come up with something,” he said, adding, “We’ll see what’s possible.”
Doolen also pointed out, “we’ll look for another way to do it. This shows county government works,” he said.
Dougherty had said remodeling the existing jail was not an option because remodeling would make it subject to new space rules and requirements and would reduce its capacity to a 55-bed facility.
Had the ambulance measure been approved, it would have provided funds for the support, organization, operation and maintenance of ambulance and emergency response services in Lincoln County.