Pocahontas Commissioners Considering Ordinance Establishing Countywide Ambulance Fee

At their February 4^th meeting, the Pocahontas Commissioners discussed a possible ordinance that would establish a special emergency ambulance fee. Commission President John Rabinski said that such a fee is needed to fund the paid Pocahontas County Ambulance Service. He said the Tucker County’s EMS tax generates $300,000 to $400,000 per year.

Rebinski added that his thoughts were to set the fee as a sort of sales tax, perhaps a 1% or 2% tax which would be in addition to the normal state 5% sales tax. His reasoning was that since tourists and travelers through the county account for a percentage of the ambulance calls, the ordinance fees should apply also to them, not just residents. He also suggested that the tax should not be imposed on sales within the Snowshoe Resort Area District (RAD) –basically stores located in the Snowshoe Village area- since the RAD tax payers already pay the Shavers Fork Fire and Rescue Service to provide paid fire and ambulance service there.

Rebinski said this proposed ordinance is still in its discussion phase, and asked for ideas from his fellow commissioners. Commissioner Thane Ryder said he was not sure that people will accept excluding the RAD from this tax, but Rebinski replied that only the top of the mountain at Snow Shoe would be excluded from the tax and they are already paying an ambulance fee, so to charge them twice while adding no extra service would not be right. Marlinton Mayor Sam Felton reminded the commissioners that their “Home rule Tax,” which is a 1% additional sales tax on businesses in the Town of Marlinton is also becoming effective on July 1^st. He said that tax will be used to help re-establish the town’s police department.

Rebinski explained that the revenues for this tax could be reserved strictly for ambulance service, or could be set up to be used for any emergency service, such as fire service, but that can be decided during a later discussion on the ordinance at a future meeting.

In a related matter, Rebinski said that when he met with the County Emergency Medical Board (known as the EMS Board) last month, there was agreement that when that board takes responsibility for the county ambulance service there should be a full-time Emergency Medical Service Director running it. He added that he feels he would like to see the director to also be running ambulance calls in addition to being an administrator. After explaining that he intended to put together a job description and run it by the commission then by the EMS Board, the other commissioners suggested that he instead turn the information he has gathered over to the EMS Board and let them design the job description then present it to the commission for approval. Rebinski agreed with that approach.

The commissioners also approved offering to pay the Fertig Family Farm the $9,000 for 6 months landfill rent that was due on January 1^st, but they specified that amount would be subtracted from the already-agreed final purchase price of $157,297.50 – taking the actual purchase price down to $148,297,50 – and that if the settlement occurs after July 1^st when more rent becomes due^,, any additional rent paid would also be subtracted from the purchase price. They said this offer will need to be accepted within the next 30 days or the purchase offer expires.

In other actions at the meeting the commissioners approved:

• Having Doss Electric repair wiring and install a baseboard heater in the basement of the courthouse, based on an estimated cost of $2,116.20. Payment will be from the Bricks and Morter budget.
• Payment of Draw Request 12 from the ARC Broadband Grant of $23,327.47 for invoices due.
• Payment of $7,498.36 for Resolution #6 of the EPA Tannery Grant for invoices due.
• Authorization for the Animal shelter to obtain estimates for repairs there.
• Contributions of $2,500 to the non-profit Northern Pocahontas County Community Assistance and of $2,500 to the Southern Chapter of Trout Unlimited for their annual Veterans Fishing Camp there in June.
• They authorized Sheriff McCoy to discard or recycle old broken office equipment taking up space in the old jail and for him to advertise for bids for a new Sheriff’s vehicle.

There was a short Board of Review and Equalization meeting opened then adjourned since none were scheduled, and they held an executive session on a personnel matter with the Sheriff prior to adjourning.