The DeKalb County Budget Committee is hard at work attempting to navigate the 2024-25 county budget, but with a looming property tax hike and possible wheel tax needed to fund a new judicial center, many department requests are feeling the pinch.

Last month, DeKalb EMS Director Hoyte Hale made a request to the budget committee to expand the number of EMS staff from the current level of 20 to a total of 24 beginning with the 2024-25 budget year.

With four more full time employees, Hale said the ambulance service could fully staff three Advanced Life Support 24/7 crews, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, including two crews in Smithville and one at the new Liberty Fire Hall. The move would have provided the western portion of the county with a 24/7 crew, something that is currently covered by a day truck at the Liberty Station until 8 p.m.

The request would have increased the EMS budget line item for medical personnel from $775,028 to $911,787 next fiscal year.

But at last week’s budget committee meeting, April 30, First District Commissioner, and Budget Committee member Tom Chandler said other issues the county is facing need to be addressed before expansion should be considered.

“Prior to last year there wasn’t even an ambulance in Liberty. There is one there now and it’s there for 12 hours a day. I don’t see any reason at this point especially given the other things like the situation with the jail and school to be expanding that building in Liberty and adding staff to make those 24 hours,” said Chandler.

Chandler later made a motion that the requested be removed from the proposed budget and that Director Hale re-submit his budget after changing the numbers. The motion was approved on a 6-1 voice vote with member Tony (Cully) Culwell voting no.

The Smithville-DeKalb County Rescue Squad also saw some cuts to their proposed budget.  The squad had asked for over $122,000 to replace used portable and mobile radios, and at least four repeaters.

The budget committee voted four to three to grant funding for half the request, $61,435, and that the City of Smithville be asked to fund the other half for the Rescue Squad. Voting in favor of the motion were Tom Chandler, Susannah Cripps, Mathias Anderson, and Jeff Barnes. Voting against were Glynn Merriman, Sabrina Farler, and Tony (Cully) Culwell.

Both the county and city annually make a contribution to the Rescue Squad as a non-profit group, since it is not part of county or city government like other emergency services. The county’s annual contribution to the rescue squad has grown in recent years from $11,500 in 2011 to $42,821 this past year.

The budget committee also unanimously voted to remove from the proposed budget request of $5,000 for computer tablets as requested last month by Commissioner Greg Matthews. The fourth district commissioner wanted each member of the commission, and county mayor, to have tablet computers instead of having to work off paper documents, especially around budget preparation time.

All action by the budget committee is subject to final passage by the full county commission when the consolidated budget is adopted in June.