By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette
During the Dec. 9 meeting of the Guthrie County Board of Supervisors, the supervisors held a discussion about the path ahead regarding the possibility of declaring EMS as an essential service. There was discussion that for the matter to be decided by voters, the best options for when to hold such an election would be September or November of 2026 or March of 2027. The September and March options would be a special election, which would likely see lighter voter turnout.
Supervisor Steve Smith voiced his opinion that the September 2026 option is too soon and would not allow time for everything that would need to be done before the matter went to voters.
Supervisor Brian Johnson said he feels the county should “start from scratch” with the process to assure that all applicable steps are done appropriately for the county’s situation.
The supervisors discussed ideas on the size and makeup of a committee that would likely be formed to work on the issue.
No formal decisions were made at this time.
Board Chair Maggie Armstrong said she has started looking into the factors to consider for whether or not the county would choose to sell a 9-acre parcel of land at the former county home.
Brenda Dudley addressed the supervisors with a preliminary idea about having a running relay race along the 26 miles of White Pole Road, possibly on Sunday, June 7, 2026. She said one of the goals of the event would be to generate opportunities for local retailers to have additional sales due to the event.
Armstrong said she has safety concerns regarding having a running event on White Pole Road if the road were not closed.
“Safety is a really big concern for me on that,” Armstrong said.
Armstrong also shared her opinion that runners may not become shoppers at the conclusion of such an event, so the retailers may not see the targeted benefit. There was discussion with Dudley about scheduling a different type of event. Supervisor JD Kuster talked of the possibility of having some type of “poker run” in motorized vehicles rather than a running event. He told of the poker run events he has helped with in the past. No vote or formal decision was made at this time.
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#