Members of the rural community expressed concern over the possible loss of EMS service in rural parts of Geary County as the disagreement continues with Junction City over the amount to be paid by the County.
Some of those thoughts included:
--If the available level of service drops local citizens will be put at risk.
--This situation is causing undue stress for Geary County citizens
--Sit down and talk this thing out. Strong arm tactics don't work.
--There could be future lawsuit problems in cases involving death or injury
--This issue is causing a lot of stress on the employees of the Junction City Fire Department and it's not their fault.
Commissioner Trish Giordano noted the County pays a portion of all the salaries of the City firefighters. She referred to 13 paramedics specifically. "We're paying a portion of their firefighter salary as well as their paramedic salary. That is the main deal right there. That is what we're willing to negotiate on. That's where the major discrepancy is." Giordano added the County is willing to sit down and talk.
Giordano said under the current arrangement the County has nothing to say about how much City firefighters get for raises or how much the City is spending for equipment. "They just send us a bill and say here this is two-thirds of what you owe."
Commissioner Keith Ascher noted that he liked local people taking care of local people. "Their heart's in the game."
The current City / County EMS agreement dates back to the 1960s.