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    Commissioners to ask municipalities, Tribes for ambulance service funding assistance

    (Fremont County, WY) – After officially deciding to move forward with Frontier Ambulance Services (parent company Priority), County Commissioners are now set to negotiate potential funding for the services with the municipalities and Tribes.

    The total amount needed to fund the service will be just over $900,000, with a contribution of $360,000 being asked of the municipalities and Tribes.

    The County will then be responsible for the other (just over) $540,000 that Frontier Ambulance needs for their services.

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    According to Commissioners, in the past the County has taken care of ambulance service costs completely, and it is currently prepared to pay the $900,000 in full if it has to.

    However, the Commission aims to get some financial assistance from the towns and cities that use these services, in an effort to set the precedent that County funds will not always be available to pay in full down the line, and to potentially free up the County budget for other needs.

    “This will also give them more of a voice at the table,” stated Commissioner Clarence Thomas regarding the municipalities’ potential contributions.

    In terms of the amounts asked of each municipality, the Commissioners state that more funding will be necessary in areas that have a higher volume of emergency calls. Lander, Riverton, and the Reservation are in these high density call areas, and each will be asked to contribute $100,000 ($50,000 for each Tribe).

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    Commissioner Mike Jones attended last week’s Lander City Council meeting to submit the ask amount to the governing board, and he plans to attend tonight’s Riverton City Council meeting with fellow Commissioner Chairman Travis Becker to request funding as well.

    Shoshoni, which has stated intentions of starting its own ambulance service in addition to the county services, and Dubois are the next highest call volume areas. Each are being asked to contribute $20,000.

    Pavillion and Hudson, the towns with the smallest volume of emergency calls, are being asked to contribute $10,000 each.

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    Frontier is set for a 5 year contract, with a review of services after 1 year.

    County 10 will provide more information on the responses from the municipalities and Tribes when they become available. Coverage of the ambulance service situation can be found here.

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