BY AMANDA CUTSHALL
The cost
The outlook
The timeline
Johnson said most residents who attended town halls favored a locally operated EMS service, which remains under consideration. “If Acadian comes in and they knock it out of the park and that provides value to the taxpayer, then why wouldn’t we look at that?” he said. Bastrop County Judge Gregory Klaus said the county has appointed a strong district leadership team to oversee the services.
Acadian has operated without property tax funding, covering its costs through service fees and billing, Quaranto said. That will change in the new fiscal year this October, when the district begins collecting local property taxes at a rate capped at $0.10 per $100 of assessed value, according to county documents. The district has not yet set its fiscal year budget or the tax rate. When it does, a public hearing will be held prior to approval of the budget and tax rate. The district received a $3.1 million tax antici- pation note, similar to a short-term loan, to fund services and cover startup expenses in the interim. Johnson said the loan will be paid back from tax revenue by March 2026. The monthly subsidy for the seven ambulances and the supervisor is $223,166. Johnson said whether the district chooses a lon- ger-term contract with Acadian or another private company, or opts for a county-run department, the cost will be about the same.
Johnson said the board is searching for a property in the city of Bastrop to build the district’s central station. Going forward, he said they will study call volume to assess future needs.
The timeline
2022 Idea for ESD 3 is sparked by three medics
2024
June Medics pitch plan to county officials November Voters approve ESD 3
Patient care metrics to be monitored include:
2025
May 30 Acadian contract extended monthly June 1 ESD 3 launches; more ambulances, first station, new standards begin July Acadian contract expected to be extended through November 2026 July 1 Critical care supervisor starts Nov. 30 Contract with Acadian expires 2026
Airway and respiratory
Pediatrics
Neuro and stroke
Trauma
Assessment & documentation
Safety and transportation
SOURCES: BASTROP COUNTY ESD 3, NATIONAL EMS QUALITY ALLIANCE/ COMMUNITY IMPACT
SOURCE: BASTROP COUNTY ESD 3/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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BASTROP - CEDAR CREEK EDITION
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