Due to potential tax implications, the Crossville City Council's recent decision to transition its EMS services to the Crossville Fire Department has sparked controversy among residents. Despite dissenting votes from Mayor RJ Crawford and councilman James Mayberry, the measure passed with a 3-2 vote, as reported by 1025wowcountry.com. Before the vote, the mayor expressed concerns about haste and tax burdens, stating, "This doesn’t need to be a rush job, we need to figure out a way to not burden the taxpayer."
Mayor Crawford has vocalized apprehensions about a property tax hike, potentially doubling in city limits, to fund the new EMS setup, which could cost between $3 million and $3.5 million, as WVLT reported. Tax increases, he warns, may be preceded by public meetings for approval. Conversely, Councilmember Dr. Mark Fox, who advocated for the measure, is exploring grant funding as a financial strategy, potentially from organizations such as the Gary Sinise Foundation, which supports first responders and emergency services.
The financial roadmap for the EMS service includes grant opportunities and the consideration of the Crossville Fire Rescue Foundation as a funding source. Freelance grant writer Anna Hamilton was consulted to navigate the nuances of federal and private grants to alleviate some financial weight. Fire Chief Chris South provided a detailed implementation plan, split into three phases, with the firefighter paramedics, advanced emergency medical technicians, and fire battalion chiefs hired estimated to cost $1.107 million in personnel, as detailed by EMS1.com.
Despite the potential for high costs, South remains optimistic about the service's sustainability and potential for financial management, having crafted projections based on Tennessee state requirements and conversations with vendors. South emphasized the importance of preparations, stating to EMS1.com, "I got the Tennessee state rules and regulations for what exactly is required to be on an ambulance and I worked with some vendors to start trying to identify what would be a cost factor."
