Lincoln County commissioners this week tabled taking any action on funding for subsidizing ambulance services or forming a 522 Ambulance District.
They put off taking any action until at least their April 19 meeting, and possibly even until their May 3 meeting. They indicated they probably will call for an election to be held on July 13 and the May meeting would be as late as they could do that to have voters go to the polls on that July date.
Once again, lawyers and financial experts attended Monday’s meeting this week. Commissioners have completely pulled away from asking county residents to vote a sales tax to fund a countywide ambulance service.
Instead, they prefer to form a 522 Ambulance District. That will take a vote of county citizens and would be funded by ad valorem taxes assessed to all real property.
The financial advisors told commissioners Monday funding for the ambulance service would require three mills added to property taxes that will generate about $1.5 million annually. They also said that estimate was with no growth.
The 522 District would have a five-member board that would contract with local ambulance service providers.
Commission Chairman Lee Doolen said, “I’m not 100 percent sure we need to rush through it. We could put it off until July 13.”
Some of the earlier discussion in previous meetings has been to call an election for June 8. Commissioners have backed off that idea following Monday’s discussion.
District 2 Commissioner Marlon Miller chimed in, saying, “We really need to wait don’t we. That gives us a couple of months, more time to promote it which we need.”
District 1 Commissioner Carl Munson noted, regarding an ad valorem tax bond issue to fund the ambulance service, “I think it would be easier to sell.”
The consensus among commissioners was to have the election July 13.
They also discussed at length funding for the construction of a new jail.
The financial advisers told commissioners, “you have two options, an ad valorem tax levy or sales tax. You will need at least five mills a year and could cap it at that.”
They said if commissioners decided on using a sales tax, rather than ¾ of a cent as originally discussed, that 1/3 of a cent would be more than enough to cover the cost of the jail since the ambulance issue would be taken out of it.
The proposed jail is estimated to cost around $12 million and would hold 150 beds. “You could pay it off in 10-12 years,” they stated. They advised commissioners that about $650,000 would be needed to cover debt service.
They suggested not committing to that until they had better figures.
The advisers also said they have looked at running a 10-year General Obligation bond issue that would be around $13.5 million with a provision for an earlier call to pay it off.
They stressed that market value and assessed value are totally different.
Doolen believes, “It’s needed. Can we do it,” he asked, pointing to “these are tough times to raise taxes.”
He said, “I’d like to see the ballot language if we do an ad valorem issue,” adding, “that’s the way to go I think.”
Miller asked the advisers, “Do these have to be on the same ballot?” They indicated they did not have to be voted on at the same time.
At that point of the discussion, Doolen said he thinks the commissioners should decide what to do in the near future. With that, the discussion ended and no action was taken.
Following the meeting, Doolen said, “We need more information on this and we need to make a decision by May 24. I want to make a decision one way or another by then.”
In other business, commissioners:
Approved new plat maps for Back Country Estates located in the NW/4 of 5-15N-6E in District 1 and Caprock Canyon located in Sections 3-12N-2E and 34-13N-2E in District 3.
Accepted the bid from John Deere on two motor graders for District 2.
Approved a Division Order with Dorado Oil Co.
Voted to make several changes to the road specifications resolution of 1995.
Approved a declaration to dispose of equipment in the County Clerk’s Office.
Approved purchase of glass top for tables in the lobby of the county courthouse.
Adopted a resolution appointing requesting, receiving and inventory officers in the County Clerk’s Office.
Accepted a $10,000 donation for Emergency Management from TC Energy.