Carroll County's ambulance service is in a state of flux that has left some area residents wondering what would happen if they experienced a medical emergency and needed an ambulance.

Due to a critical financial situation, the county council reduced the overall appropriation for the service in 2009 by $250,000. Emergency Medical Services Director Mike Durr said only two ambulances could be staffed with the remaining $673,000. County commissioners decided the two ambulances would be located in Delphi and Flora to provide the most comprehensive coverage possible for county residents.

That decision meant Burlington, who only a year ago surrendered its ambulance service to the county, would now be without service based in that immediate community. When Burlington community leaders realized their county-supported ambulance service was eliminated, they decided to take action to discuss options.

Durr, Burlington Town Council members, and township trustee Al Jackson met Dec. 17 to develop a plan about how to proceed.

"The Burlington area was not told about this," council member Teddy Huffer said. "We are very interested in keeping the ambulance service in Burlington."

Jackson echoed Huffer's sentiment. He said it was ironic that Burlington had the first ambulance service in the county about 40 years ago and now they are the ones to be without.

"The meeting we had was to hear the facts about why the service was reduced," he said. "I am concerned about the loss of the service."

Jackson said the group developed a plan to proceed to remedy the situation for themselves and perhaps others in the community. He said other townships could step in to temporarily bridge the funding gap for the service.

"I agreed to contact other trustees and meet as soon as possible," he said. "Mike (Durr) is supposed to give us the bottom-line of what it would cost for one EMT and a volunteer driver."

He said Burlington Council president Stan Moore agreed to consult the Burlington VFD about establishing a core of volunteers for the service.

"I want to ask if there is a way to bridge the current situation toward a long-term plan," Jackson said. "But a long-range plan is imperative for the county."

A county advisory committee was established several months ago to address the ambulance funding issue. Members initially named were Durr, council members Ann Brown and Steve Ashby, commissioner Loren Hylton and community member Nancy Williamson R.N. Members recently added were commissionerelect Pat Clawson, EMS medical director Dr. Mark Estes, and Dr. Mark Meyer of Flora.

"I think it is a good thing that everybody is working on this," Brown said. "Everyone needs to be educated about how this happened. We all need to discuss and make decisions about how to get the best service we can."

Brown said the lack of property tax income will be difficult to overcome because that income was consistent and county leaders could depend on that tax income.

"The property tax loss must be replaced," she said. "Income tax is not a reliable funding stream for the county."

"Many Carroll County residents work outside of the county and many of them in the auto industry," she added. "If the very worse scenario plays out - what are we going to use for income if we solely rely on income tax to fund county services?"

Ten of Carroll County's 14 township trustees met Tuesday morning to discuss options for additional funding for the ambulance service. They also addressed potential effects on townships of the adoption of the Kernan- Shepard Report.

Durr reported to the group it would cost approximately $270,000 to reinstate the ambulance service to the former level of service before the 2009 budget reductions. He said although four ambulances in the county were "perfect," adequate advanced life support services could be accomplished with three.

Jackson explained the goal for the trustee group is to be "in the boat, rowing the same direction." He recommended all trustees discuss the situation with the advisory boards in their respective townships before meeting again as a group. Jackson further suggested all townships answer the question, "Are we willing to think about it?"

The group will meet again after January township advisory board meetings are held. In the meantime, information about the legality of partial funding of the ambulance service by townships will be sought from the State Board of Accounts in Indianapolis.