Washington County Board Approves Countywide Shared Services Program to Strengthen Emergency Medical Services

The Washington County Board of Supervisors has approved, on a vote of 18-2, the creation of the Washington County Shared Services Grant Program for Countywide Emergency Medical Services, committing $2.9 million annually to support local fire and EMS departments while maintaining the County’s current tax rate.

The program is the culmination of three years of work involving county and municipal leaders, fire chiefs and emergency responders to address growing challenges, including rising emergency call volumes, declining volunteer participation and skyrocketing operational costs.

As municipalities struggle to meet these demands, their options are increasingly limited: seek voter approval for referenda, go into debt or reduce services. Wisconsin law provides counties with additional property tax levy authority for EMS purposes that municipalities do not have, positioning Washington County to ensure stability and sustainability for local emergency services.

“Our municipalities are facing some very difficult choices, and we don’t believe the answer should always be another referendum, going into debt or cuts to essential services,” said County Executive Josh Schoemann. “Washington County has an opportunity to use the tools available to us to address a countywide problem. We’ve developed a responsible solution that maintains our tax rate, strengthens emergency services and keeps local control where it belongs. It’s an outcome we can all be proud of because it puts taxpayers first.”

The program includes $500,000 annually in incentives for volunteer emergency responders, recognizing the vital role volunteers have played in Washington County for generations. In many communities, volunteer service is a family tradition passed down from parents to children and even grandchildren. The County’s goal is to preserve that tradition by encouraging volunteer recruitment and retention.

“When the fire chiefs came to us seeking help we knew this was going to be a heavy lift, but a necessary one for the citizens of Washington County. This effort would not have been possible without the tireless work and leadership of our local elected officials, municipal administrators, fire chiefs and emergency responders,” said County Board Chairman Jeff Schleif. “They have devoted countless hours over the past three years to finding a solution that works for our communities. This is an accomplishment we can all be proud of, and a reflection of public service at its best. Everyone involved deserves tremendous credit for bringing us to this point.”

The program provides a predictable source of funding to participating municipalities while preserving local control of emergency service.

With County Board approval, Washington County will move forward with implementation of the program with participating municipalities and local fire and EMS departments.