Old Drum Network
An Alternative News Source for Warrensburg and Johnson County Missouri

Other Taxing Issues - Ambulance District

Candidacy Interview
written for the Warrensburg Star Journal and substantially published in 5/28/02 issue

I am a candidate for the Subdistrict 5 position on the board of the Johnson County Ambulance District, representing Washington Township (Knob Noster), Montserrat Township, and parts of Jefferson and Grover Townships. I live in the southwest corner of Montserrat Township but am generally familiar with the entire area.

Qualifications:

Duties of Board: Primary duty of the initial board is to ensure that an efficient and effective ambulance service is established at the least expense to the taxpayers. This will require research on statutes and successfully-run districts in other areas, consideration of alternatives and prompt action. A good plan of operation or statement of work is essential.
After the district is operating, the board must ensure continued oversight of whatever method of operation is selected and make sure that plans are made & executed. The Board should not act as direct supervisors of day-to-day operations.

Philosophy: I believe that under current governmental restraints there is no way an ambulance service can operate without a local subsidy. The challenge for the ambulance board is to have an effective ambulance service for the smallest subsidy possible. Some of the options we must consider are:

Who will operate the ambulances:

Where should ambulances be placed? How much money should be raised? Philosophically, we must raise the minimum amount to operate the service. What this amount is depends on the method selected above. The decisions made by this initial board are critical to the overall ambulance district. The issues and solutions are complex. It is imperative that we elect people who can think and analyze independently and who are not wedded to government as the final answer to all our problems.
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