Ambulance District Board discusses 2025 budget plans

SANDPOINT — The Bonner County Ambulance Service District commissioners met Wednesday to examine EMS budget updates.  

In November 2024, the EMS staff learned that the organization was running out of funds. Since the announcement, county commissioners and the ambulance district have been working together, meeting every other week to establish a clear path for budgeting and consistent communication.  

In the meeting, EMS Chief Jeff Lindsey went over a budget update, which highlighted the year-to-date spending comparison of 2024 and 2025 fiscal year, a personnel attrition update and an explanation of the usage of tax anticipation note (TAN).   

Earlier this year, Lindsey shared, the EMS district was approved for a TAN loan that allows it to pull money from a loan amount of $2 million until January 2026. For the loan to be available until January, the district must keep the loan “open,” meaning it can’t pay off the loan and its interest all at once. If the district pays off the borrowed amount, the initial interest stops accruing. So far, the district has pulled $500,000 from the TAN, with an extra $1.5 million available for the rest of the year.  

Lindsey also shared the district’s current cash position — the amount it has available to put towards expenses — is $2,194,125. When a year-to-date analysis was done for expenses, employee costs were lower by $67,643, total expenses were lower by $286,830 and revenue was higher by $167,702.  

“We're much lower than last year. We've been cutting everywhere we can cut,” said Lindsey.  

Part of the reduced costs are correlated to the loss of three positions: two paramedics and one advanced EMT. Staff estimate the reduction will save the district over $300,000 a year. As the district looks to continually cut costs, Lindsey mentioned that the district could reduce up to three more positions and remain at minimum staffing levels.  

“We can lose down to where we're still running four ALS ambulances a shift, which are paramedic ambulances. We have to have one paramedic on those ambulances, and we would have one fly car, which is a paramedic by himself,” said Lindsey. 

As of now, no actions have been taken to reduce force. 

The next Ambulance Service District board meeting will take place at 11 a.m. Feb. 19 at the Bonner County Administration Building.