A request for $50,000 in County ARPA funds to help Nashua with startup costs for its own ambulance service has been denied by a 3-2 vote of the Chickasaw County Board of Supervisors.
Zenda Vikturek with the new Nashua Area EMS addressed the Board during their meeting Monday, noting they have an ambulance and they’re getting staff certified to operate the service, even beyond City limits.
Nashua opted to start their own ambulance after declining to help with the costs of the new County-run ambulance service because a rig would not be placed in Nashua.Â
That’s Supervisor Chair Matt Kuhn, who said Nashua could still join the County’s ambulance arrangement like the six other cities that agreed to fund the County’s ambulance service.Â
Supervisor Jacob Hackman motioned to approve the ARPA request for the Nashua Area EMS, which Supervisor Scott Cerwinske, who lives in Nashua, seconded. However, the measure was defeated by three “nay†votes from Supervisors Steven Breitbach, Travis Suckow, and Kuhn.Â
County Attorney David Laudner noted that it’s unfortunate for all parties that EMS is not designated as essential by the state.
Kuhn noted that while there’s a pool of ARPA funds not yet allocated, the County has several projects to be addressed by ARPA money including permanent housing for the ambulances, the outdated County jail and windows to be replaced in the courthouse.
