By HEATHER SMITH

Staff Writer

Emergency Squad members Katy Wells, Deana Glover and Nancy Mercer appeared in front of the Tyler County Commissioners on Tuesday morning to voie their concerns regarding the failed EMS levy.

“We are not salary or wage,” said Wells. “We need this to pass to get the money we need to keep it going.”

The costs goes toward stocking the ambulances, fuel and other emergency equipment such as radios that they need to keep up and running. Glover stated there are three squads in the county and they each run on their own. She also said Medicare and Medicaid are cutting back on their funding.

“The people we help, if they have no insurance – we don’t get paid, we are losing,” said Glover.

Glover also said Tyler County is the only county in the state that is running two ambulances 24-hours-a-day, seven days a week. She also stressed the importance of having the two ambulances stocked and ready to go in case of an emergency.

It is estimated that from January to May, the emergency squad used

apprxomaintely 700 gallons of diesel fuel. The other bills for one month were estimated at $3,500.

“We need to put this back on the ballot to get it passed, “stated Glover.

President Charles “Pork” Smith asked Wells to bring in a budget to the next regular scheduled meeting.

“It does not increase salaries, it’s to keep the ambulances running.” said Stender on the importance of passing the levy.

MOVRC Grant Coordinator Tim Meeks was also in front of commission with grants for improvements at Conaway Lake. One grant in the amount of $5,000 will go towards the purchase of 10 new fire-rings for campsites and the purchase of three, six-foot picnic tables. The fire-rings will be concreted into the ground as will the picnic tables.

The other grant in the amount of $9,000 will go toward the construction of handicap accessible utilities at the lake. They talked about installing a concrete pad beside the boat ramp.

Dominick Cerrone with Cerrone Associates also attended the meeting to give updates on the Courthouse Annex building. The discussion on where to place the new annex building was the main topic. It was agreed that theThe annex building would be placed on the existing parking lot but will not be connected to the courthouse due to Fire Marshall regulations.

A public meeting will be held on the next regular meeting on May 25 at 9 a.m. for other residents to come in and express their concerns to change the name of Rush Fork Road back to Stewarts Run Road.