By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette
During the regular meeting of the Guthrie County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 5, the supervisors discussed the possibility of again declaring Emergency Medical Services (EMS) as an essential service in the county.
Board chair Maggie Armstrong summarized the current situation.
“Because the measure did not pass in the last election, we basically start from zero. So, the first step would be to, if this board so chose, to declare it an essential service,” Armstrong said. “This is just the very beginning of the very first step.”
Supervisor Mike Dickson suggested a different approach.
“The measure failed. We probably should be looking at other options,” Dickson said. “There is the option of Chapter 357F, which is the Emergency Medical Services districts. That’s another option there. We also have the first responders; I think we should give some time and see how that works out.”
Armstrong added that state legislative issues could also impact the county’s options.
“There was a lot of talk at the state capitol this past session about EMS, and from what I’ve heard, it’s going to be a topic of conversation again. Just from a planning perspective, I think it would be a good idea for us to start the essential service conversation. It’s not an essential service until a vote is passed. So, depending on what happens in the state legislature, we’re ready to go,” Armstrong said. “What I don’t want to happen is for us to just sit and wait through the legislative session and not be ready to go.”
Armstrong added that she does not see a March 2026 special election on EMS as a realistic option.
“That timeline is too accelerated,” she said.
The supervisors voted 4-1 in favor of publishing the initial public notice to begin the process of designating EMS as an essential service. Mike Dickson voted against.
Jamie Lindsay, Human Resources Coordinator, provided an update on the county’s hiring and training of employees.
Beth Watson, Veterans Affairs Administrator, shared a June quarterly report on her department.
County Engineer Josh Sebern told of the status of the P28 road project (Wagon Road) north of Stuart. He described the options of making the roadway slightly wider or keeping the width the same, which would allow for more distance to be improved. No formal action was taken.
The supervisors meet regularly on Tuesdays at 9 a.m. The public is welcome to attend in person or via remote technology. To join remotely, call 323-792-6123, then use meeting code 547029216#.