The Benton County Board of Supervisors clarified how to apply a longstanding 10% “lost gift” match for vehicle and equipment purchases when EMS trust funds are used. Staff recommended amending Resolution 13-11 so that when entities use EMS trust funds to buy ambulances or emergency vehicles the county would pay vendors directly from the EMS trust fund rather than drawing from another county lost-gift account.

“I feel like they're double dipping,” one supervisor said during debate about whether the same purchase could be supported by both EMS trust funds and the lost-gift fund. Supervisors expressed concern that paying a department’s 10% match from the lost-gift fund while EMS trust funds also covered the purchase could deplete a pool meant for entities without EMS trust access.

After discussion the board voted to deny use of the lost-gift fund for purchases already funded through EMS trust funds and directed staff to amend the lost-gift resolution to clarify the county will use EMS trust funds in those cases. Staff noted that some EMS entities have sufficient trust-fund balances to cover their purchases and that paying the 10% gift out of EMS trust funds avoids depleting the lost-gift account.

In related business the board approved ARPA-funded claims for two projects: a Johnson Concrete driveway repair at the transportation building ($26,912) and clock repair work at the courthouse (mechanical watch supply, $39,000). The board also signed a single-audit form required because the county’s combined federal expenditures exceed the single-audit threshold; the chair was authorized to sign the federal audit form for the county’s aggregate federal activity, including ARPA funding.

Board members said the EMS trust‑fund clarification and the ARPA claims were time‑sensitive because EMS vendors and contractors will be paid in the coming week.