Floyd County EMS Essential Service Resolution Passes Third Reading 

Establishing emergency medical services (EMS) as an essential service in Floyd County has taken two more steps forward.

If EMS is deemed essential, it would allow the County to assess a property tax levy, income tax surcharge, or combination of both, to fund services like ambulances and first responders. During their regular meeting Monday, the Floyd County Board of Supervisors approved the third reading of the resolution, though Supervisor Roy Schwickerath says it still isn’t official.

The next step in the process requires the formation of an advisory council to recommend how much the EMS tax levy might be set at.

Supervisors named five people to the advisory council during their meeting with more to be added, but they’ll need to work fast. A recommendation on the EMS tax levy needs to be made this month in order for the Board to get the resolution on the ballot this November. Then, it would still need 60% of the majority vote to pass.

Supervisors agreed the advisory council will act independently from the Board of Supervisors, although Schwickerath will be a non-voting member of the council, which met for the first time Tuesday.