Texas Town, Emergency District to Talk Financial Responsibilities
July 29--EDNA -- The fate of the Edna emergency services remains unsettled.
Two Jackson County Emergency Services District No. 3 commissioners will meet privately Wednesday with Edna City Council representatives to discuss who will be responsible in the future for paying for the area's emergency services.
The city of Edna and District No. 3 share the responsibility of funding the approximately $1.1 million bill, but maintenance issues throughout the city is forcing its leaders to reconsider that arrangement.
Worst-case scenario would be the area's emergency services bill becomes solely District No. 3's responsibility.
Trying to get some insight on what Wednesday's discussion would entail, Commissioner DJ Bell asked Edna City Manager Don Doering for details during District No. 3's meeting Tuesday. The city manager said he could not speak for the council and insisted on waiting for Wednesday's closed-door meeting.
Frustrated, Bell said it seems the city wants to stick the burden entirely on the district, which can't afford it. Commissioners echoed that sentiment during and after the meeting.
"Instead of making it their problem, they're trying to make it our problem," Bell described his perception during the meeting.
Annually, the city contributes between $300,000 and $350,000, and the district contributes about $460,000 from taxes, while the area Emergency Medical Service generates about $250,000.
The district generates more than $600,000 from taxes.
If District No. 3 assumed all the financial responsibility, it would have to make budget cuts, Chairman Jake Srp said after the meeting.
A public meeting to address what commissioners and council representatives discuss could come as soon as early next week, Srp said.
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