The most substantial criticism to local government reform comes from township trustees and advisory board members who say they are closer to the people and therefore more able to serve them directly.

The problem with that line of reasoning is becoming apparent in Jefferson Township.

County government controls county services. County government is responsible to all county residents to provide the best services possible given the amount of tax dollars available.

More money brings more services - it is that simple.

Currently Jefferson Township leaders are earnestly hell-bent on providing ambulance service (to their residents) that they believe is not available from the Carroll County Ambulance Service. They do not believe there is a problem with the quality of the Carroll County service, just the amount of time it takes to respond to an emergency call. Monticello is offering to help for a fee.

Now all other outlying county areas, such as Clay and Washington townships, enjoy the benefits of "mutual aid" with their neighbors from adjoining counties. Those services are called in when there is no Carroll County ambulance available. Carroll County reciprocates with that same mutual aid.

Jefferson Township leaders find themselves in the position of being asked to pay "extortion" money. They would be paying for the same service that other parts of the county get for the cost of the ambulance run.

The move to provide the best ambulance service to the Jefferson Township residents seems like the right thing for township leaders to do.

But it is wrong for one township to have to pay an extra "fee" for what amounts to an honor creed in other townships among emergency response personnel.

And it is especially wrong for any resident to blame county leaders for not caring about whether they live or die, because that just is not the case in Carroll County.