[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6535497,"mediaKeyId","3395562-e3d6219cc54c73cb63588db795c390e3","parentId",3395562,"title","Paramedics, residents press Ashe County officials over proposed EMS takeover; provider says talks are off","audioSeconds",3932,"startMs",131875,"endMs",4064000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3395562-e3d6219cc54c73cb63588db795c390e3&start=131&end=4064","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3395562-e3d6219cc54c73cb63588db795c390e3/thumbnail_131875.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6535497/Ashe-County/North-Carolina/Paramedics-residents-press-Ashe-County-officials-over-proposed-EMS-takeover-provider-says-talks-are-off","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6535497-214e98982e05cf926be6412fe656a290/orig.mp4?Expires=1771152603&Signature=nxzIpcV8LqybKU1n6I-y5s4L7R89n190a6x1HKV4W~PsWm25IXKBQoQQpE8QrKT55bX7H9fXMUq0Wlqv41WGzOKqSPQE5s2VNvj3qlc5W-l3U8incBVJIG6jp97pnBnEVUXvYEzaZGqLejzsNkVo4l4pUcRfRqAV8MfCNMjoHq7nmfFRcK57YWusQMvDsYWwnUoU3XbUGvGSh6wLq~cgCteS8o805OwxDSwRGTeZovsz0RxQo4ekmu3tmlAhioAQ86S-Jyv~gHpyQRHxQRaDEJghhw5W1ww34dqId32tDeg7vmEj47wKb~Ayq7vWGpzd3A0seXlZosruhfxiFKG6Ew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Ashe County","date","2025-05-19T00:00:00Z","article","Several paramedics and county residents urged Ashe County commissioners on May 20 to intervene after employees said they were left out of talks about a possible change in the privately contracted ambulance provider and warned the change could cut employees’ benefits.

Ryan Kissel, a paramedic who identified himself as residing in Watauga County and working in the High Country, told the board he and fellow paramedics were “discouraged from coming here to speak to y’all. We were discouraged to show up in our uniforms,” and said the discouragement “needs to be noted.”

Kissel and other speakers said they had learned through internal messaging about a possible merger involving Priority On Demand and an out‑of‑state company. Cody Darnell, an Ash County native and paramedic of about 10 years, described a May 14 briefing in which staff were told Priority On Demand “does not have employees” and that several benefits would change, including “downgrade of medical insurance, removal of 401(k) match, loss of Aflac, and reduction of PTO time.” Darnell said the planned effective date was June 1 and that employees were given roughly two weeks’ notice before some elements of the change were put on hold.

“If this merger takes place and my medication is not covered, I will be forced to leave,” Darnell said. He described having a chronic medical condition requiring daily prescription medication and said his drug is placed in a tier that would not be covered under the Priority plan discussed in the briefing. “My medication was not covered by Priority On Demand’s health insurance, and their coverage was starting June 1. I had approximately 15 days to figure something out,” he said.

County commissioners asked Craig, the provider representative who addressed the board during an extended public discussion, to explain the situation. Craig said his communications had been poor, apologized to the board and to employees, and said that “currently, there is no deal or any changes. Everything kind of went down off the table.” He said his original intent was to explore back‑office consolidation and not to change front‑line service or eliminate jobs. “There was never any service delivery stuff that was ever on the table,” he told commissioners. “No one’s job’s ever — that’s never been on the table.”

Commissioners and county staff pressed Craig about personnel files, benefit changes and why employees were not informed earlier. Patty, a county staff member who spoke during the exchange, said the information that had circulated among employees was “too controversial” and “conflicting,” and she said keeping the contract unchanged through its term was in the county’s and employees’ best interest.

Board members voiced concern about the apparent misinformation and said employees should be able to speak without intimidation. Several commissioners thanked the county’s paramedics for their work and said they heard the employees’ concerns.

No formal change to the EMS contract was announced at the meeting. Commissioners cited a provision in the existing contract — quoted during the discussion — that prohibits assignment or subcontracting of the agreement without the county’s express written permission.

The board did not take a formal vote to change the provider or the contract during the meeting. Commissioners asked county staff and the provider to return with clearer, written information and for Craig to meet with employees to restore trust and clarify any next steps.

Provenance: public remarks by paramedics and the provider were presented during the meeting’s public comment period and later during a staff/provider discussion; the record shows public speakers raising benefit and notice concerns and the provider acknowledging communications failures.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Ashe County - County Commission on 2025-05-19 9:00 AM - May 19, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Several paramedics and county residents urged Ashe County commissioners on May 20 to intervene after employees said they were left out of talks about a possible change in the privately contracted ambulance provider and warned the change could cut employees’ benefits.","taxTitle","Ashe County, North Carolina","taxId",45072,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6535493,"Ashe County presents $55.6 million FY25‑26 budget, approves grants and several contracts",0,156360000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3395562-e3d6219cc54c73cb63588db795c390e3&start=156360&end=156360","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3395562-e3d6219cc54c73cb63588db795c390e3/thumbnail_156360000.jpg","/articles/6535493/Ashe-County/North-Carolina/Ashe-County-presents-556-million-FY2526-budget-approves-grants-and-several-contracts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6535493-41a3d437d3de9325ab334ce9230ca31b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771152603&Signature=ma6vTI75j1RQJlIsd8uvVFZK~4va8yYLJaI5vyg~3GN73jJyQ~UjZ3y8balNh3lsNhWJckpcYCHiCMF4ls0Z1PZ24pubu2K4L96nIE5qR3LfLfNosI6AQPjWfe5jWeXCKIeJ0hrz3wswvEKsIT9JxSOVeY8gfceBOUOZyrM-CEIauZJHXIKXcBw1BSJVUAVjk3L8~wTH38VrLK2Tqeox-hS6wBNkH~x2pC9bygk25h2tSord6hzbeaakpubClLTfTpCRdH1rWIVZBhK5iAi~qdnYJD1-YqI1nvSo~x4tOIzjymITk2p8XmAFKnwxx62oq-S~vBmODTEVxAej40~EYg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County staff presented the Ashe County Board of Commissioners with a proposed fiscal year 2025‑26 general fund budget of $55,585,040 and recommended maintaining the current tax rate of 44¢ per $100 assessed value.

Adam (county staff) read the budget message on May 20 and said the proposal was prepared in accordance with North Carolina statutes. The presentation said the county faces major hurricane‑related expenses and an ongoing $8 million debris contract tied to recovery operations. Highlights in the message included a $96 million middle school project supported by state grants and local financing, landfill expansion planning, replacement of the Environmental Services building and pay‑and‑classification adjustments intended to improve recruitment and retention.

Commissioners and staff also considered and approved a series of contracts, grants and budget amendments during the meeting.

Votes at a glance

- Reappointment: The board reappointed Chris (name in packet) as the tax administrator/collector; motion seconded and approved. (Motion recorded; mover/second not specified in the transcript excerpt.)
- ABC funds: Commissioners approved an allocation of approximately $2,298.18 from ABC funds to send three school resource officers to training; staff to return with written budget amendments.
- Animal Control donation appropriation: The board approved increasing the Department of Animal Control appropriation from $452,489 to $456,689, a $4,200 increase funded by prior‑year donation funds in the general fund.
- Veterans grant: The board accepted a grant for veterans programming; meeting motion recorded as accepting a grant amount of $73,150 with no required match.
- Audit contract: The board approved an engagement for the year ending 6/30/2025 with a total audit contract of $56,800; the annual financial information report billed separately. The contract will require work to address new GASB pronouncements on compensated absences.
- Mowing and cleaning contracts: Commissioners approved renewing existing mowing and cleaning contracts at existing prices with the current contractors.
- Environmental Services building design: Commissioners approved entering a design contract with Benoit (the only respondent to the RFQ) for architectural/engineering work and site investigation; the design fee was reported at approximately $295,625 (document also referenced $301,000 as a nearby figure), with additional contingencies for surveying and borings and construction administration fees to be budgeted in FY25‑26 if the project moves forward.
- Generations of Ash allocation: The board approved a friendly amendment and motion to increase the Department of Human Services appropriation from $1,859,475 to $2,084,475, a $225,000 one‑time supplemental allocation to Generations of Ash. The allocation was made from unencumbered general‑fund funds and is contingent on an executed agreement and repayment language to be finalized by county counsel and staff.
- Proclamation: The board adopted a proclamation celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Friends of the Ash County Public Library.

County staff said more detailed budget workbooks would be available and a week‑long deep dive into the budget was scheduled. The commissioners thanked staff for keeping the tax rate unchanged in a budget year disrupted by Hurricane Hilleen’s (referred to in the presentation) widespread damage.

Provenance: numerous agenda items and motions were presented during the regular meeting; the budget message was read aloud and multiple motions were made and seconded on the actions listed above.

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Paramedics, residents press Ashe County officials over proposed EMS takeover; provider says talks are off

Ashe County presents $55.6 million FY25‑26 budget, approves grants and several contracts