Twin Lakes committed to August referendum for EMS upgrade

A chart from an Ehlers analysis that shows tax impact of a $450,000 on various assessed values in Twin Lakes.

The Twin Lakes Village Board continues to prepare for an August referendum to raise funds for improved emergency medical services as provided by Twin Lakes Rescue.

The board discussed the issue Monday in light of uncertainty about whether Randall and Wheatland also will be joining in funding 24/7 staffed EMS response from TLR.

Last summer, Twin Lakes, Randall and Wheatland began jointly discussing how to fund 24/7 staffing for TLR, which currently provides EMS service to all three municipalities through separate contracts. At one time, all three municipalities projected they would need a referendum to meet their share and an April referendum was targeted. Eventually, that timeline broke down and an August referendum was targeted. A total cost of the 24/7 EMS upgrade of $900,000 was to be divided as $450,000 paid by Twin Lakes and $225,000 each for Wheatland and Randall.

Meanwhile, Randall and Wheatland also opened talks with a private EMS provider.

With the timeline for an August referendum in mind, in March TLR asked for an answer to a proposed contract by April 15. Wheatland and Randall both did not approve the TLR contract by that date and both committed to continuing talks with the private company, Ambulnz By Docgo.

TLR requested and did receive an opportunity to reopen talks with Randall and Wheatland. A joint public meeting was held April 29 at Wheatland Town Hall. A similar joint public meeting with Ambulnz By Docgo has been scheduled for May 14.

At that meeting, Twin Lakes Fire Department and Rescue Squad Chief Ron Redlin said the April 15 deadline was no longer required and he hoped to be able to continue contract talks with Wheatland and Randall.

Regardless of what happens with Randall and Wheatland, Twin Lakes is moving forward with a $450,000 referendum on the August ballot, officials said Monday.

“Twin Lakes has known all along that they need to go to referendum to fund this,” said Laura Roesslein, village administrator.

A projection from financial consultant Ehlers says the property tax impact of passing the referendum would be $46 per $100,000 of assessed valuation.

“This is something that is a drastic need in the village,” said village President Howard Skinner of the improved EMS service. “The only way we can fund it is to do this.”

For Twin Lakes, the timeline is being driven by the requirements for getting the referendum on the August primary ballot. The referendum ballot question needs to be to the county clerk by June 5, Roesslein said. That leaves the May 20 regular meeting as the last opportunity to vote on that language to meet the deadline.

“The tricky part is were making a decision without knowing” what Randall and Wheatland will do, Roesslein said.

If the towns do not join the village in the EMS upgrade project, then TLR will fashion what it can to increase service from the funds Twin Lakes can supply if the referendum passes, said Ken Johnson, TLR EMS chief. But what that would exactly look like is unknown.

“I would like to know before too long what the Twin Lakes department is looking at,” Johnson said.

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