Fitchrona EMS District Commission Meeting – August 20, 2026

The Fitchrona EMS District Commission met on Thursday, August 20, 2026, with a quorum present. There was no public comment. The commission conducted ceremonial recognitions, approved routine items, discussed the chief's operational report, authorized a new response support vehicle purchase, and approved a permanent part-time paramedic MOU.

Consent Calendar / Routine Approvals

• Approved the July 16, 2026 meeting minutes by voice vote.
• Approved the GASB 54 resolution; the post-retirement health care fund balance reported was $482,511.
• Approved accounts payable checks. One check reimbursed a resident for a basketball hoop struck by an ambulance; the cost was paid directly rather than through an insurance claim.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public offered comments.

Recognition and Ceremonial Items

• Tom Bates was honored with a plaque for his service. The chief said Bates started as an EMT with Fitchrona in 1989 or 1990, totaling 36 years of service, and is only the second person after Ron Martin to reach 35 years at Fitchrona. Bates said he joined in 1990 because Fitchrona was regarded as the best EMS in the county.
• Madeline Kramlett was sworn in as an EMT and received her badge from her mentor, Paramedic Hayden Latch, as part of Fitchrona's two-year paramedic internship program.
• Andrew Jensen was sworn in and promoted from paramedic to lieutenant, receiving his lieutenant badge.

Chief's Report and Operational Discussion

• The chief reported a busy July 2026: 492 calls, bringing year-to-date call volume to 72% of the annual projection. Mutual aid from Madison and Oregon added about eight calls to the district.
• Staff participated in Fitchburg Library's 'Touch a Truck' and Verona's National Night Out.
• On the aging report, the chief said there is no strong industry standard; after questions raised last month, accounting firm Johnson Block provided articles, but those articles were written by EMS billing companies. Work continues on reducing over-180-day receivables.
• The billing company EMSMC keeps 6% of amounts billed; if an account goes to a collection agency, the agency keeps 20%, compared with 33% under the prior collection agency.
• As of the end of July, the district had not yet received second-half municipal funds; the chief planned to follow up.
• Deputy chief hiring: 11 applicants were narrowed to 7; phone interviews were scheduled for the following Monday and Tuesday, with panel interviews slated for September 1-2. The goal is to finish by mid-October so the hire could start in early November. Some out-of-state candidates may face Wisconsin paramedic licensure challenges.
• A former employee filed a Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development wrongful-termination complaint; the district has 21 days to respond and the matter is with the attorney. Arbitration on a personnel complaint remains set for the end of September.
• A previously requested count of uninsured patients was deferred to the next meeting.

Replacement Response Support Vehicle

• The commission considered a resolution (listed on the agenda as 2026-08; the chief said the number should likely be 2026-07) to purchase a replacement response support vehicle.
• The proposal would replace the 2010 SUV with a larger utility vehicle, eliminate the rehab trailer, and support training, supplies, first response, and rehab. The vehicle includes lights and sirens and would be used for meetings, CPR classes, deliveries, and emergency first response.
• Funding: approximately $250,000 total, using roughly $80,000 from an Epic Software donation (unofficial amount), $72,000 in FAP funds, and $100,000 from the unassigned fund balance. Additional funds would cover a radio, MDT, and graphics.
• The old 2010 vehicle, with about 55,000 miles, would first be offered to the cities and then auctioned, with proceeds returning to the unassigned fund balance. The trailer, originally obtained free from the county, would be offered free to anyone wanting it.
• The commission approved the purchase by voice vote with no opposition. The vehicle has about a 12-month build process.

Permanent Part-Time Paramedic MOU

• The commission voted to take the tabled MOU back up for discussion.
• The revised MOU defines permanent part-time as less than full-time, without a specific hour threshold in the collective bargaining agreement; guarantees benefits based on a 24-hour week (two 12-hour shifts); allows additional shifts without monthly benefit recalculation; and includes protections intended to prevent replacing full-time positions with multiple part-timers. The chief described this as the first represented permanent part-time position in Dane County and part of a four-year path toward converting these positions to full-time.
• Other changes: sick-time payout cap raised from 96 to 144 hours; part-timers start with a 24-hour PTO bank; vacation accrual includes a four-year step; funeral leave increased from one to two paid days; pay scale mirrors full-timers; proposed start date is September.
• The outstanding issue is the union's request to cap permanent part-timers at 24 hours per week. The chief said he is unwilling to agree to that limit, because full-timers may also pick up shifts without gaining extra benefits. A commissioner expressed concern that a 24-hour cap could reduce community access to a willing, licensed provider; another commissioner argued approving the MOU was worthwhile because if the union rejects it, the proposal simply does not take effect.
• The commission approved the MOU on a 5-0 roll-call vote, with the understanding that final union concurrence is still pending.

Other Business and Next Steps

• The annual district meeting will be held in October; all municipalities are invited, and the medical director will present on medical director activities and next-year goals.
• The commission adjourned after noting next month's meeting. One commissioner noted a possible absence due to a conflict.

Key Outcomes

• Approved minutes, GASB 54 resolution, and accounts payable checks.
• Approved replacement response support vehicle purchase, committing $100,000 from unassigned fund balance plus FAP and Epic funds; no opposition.
• Approved permanent part-time paramedic MOU, 5-0, with final union agreement on the remaining 24-hour work cap still required.
• Directed follow-up on deputy chief interviews (September 1-2), DWD complaint response (within 21 days), and municipal fund deposits.