Winnebago Board Approves 28E Agreement with Forest City Ambulance Services

The Winnebago County Board of Supervisors reviewed a proposed agreement with the Forest City Ambulance Service and the city on how funding was to be dispersed from the county and used for the growth of the employee base in the ambulance service. The measure had been tabled until wording could be changed to more clearly define how the agreement would be carried out.

Supervisor Terry Durby outlined what the newest changes were to the agreement.

Durby also explained that the agreement had a termination clause in case it became necessary.

In short, the county could end the agreement, but not before it had given ample warning to both the Forest City Ambulance Service and the city of their intentions.

Both Supervisor Susan Smith and Terry Durby voted in favor of the agreement, while Supervisor Bill Jensvold did not. The three ambulance services in Winnebago County which are located in Buffalo Center, Lake Mills, and Forest City are private entities which receive funding from their respective cities. The county moved forward with a property tax levy surcharge and a 1% personal income tax on Winnebago County residents to help pay for additional staffing of the services.