A leadership change at Allen County EMS was announced at Tuesday’s Allen County Commission meeting. EMS Director Michael Burnett announced he will leave the department next week to accept the EMS director position in Crawford County.
Burnett told commissioners May 11 will be his final day after serving in the position since January 2013. Commissioners later approved the appointment of Iola Fire Chief Corey Isbell as interim EMS director while the county searches for a permanent replacement.
In a phone interview with the Register on Wednesday, Burnett noted there is not a definitive timeline in place for hiring a new director. “It’s been discussed, but they have not put out anything official yet,” he said.
Burnett has already begun in his new role. “I actually started in Crawford County last week,” he noted. “It was a tough decision. It wasn’t easy, but sometimes you have to make these decisions for change and career advancements.”
Commissioners congratulated Burnett on the new position and wished him well.
Before announcing his resignation, Burnett updated commissioners on EMS operations, reporting ambulance run numbers have been slightly lower than normal to start the year. He also discussed recent repairs to one of the department’s cardiac monitors. He said the county spent $1,377 on the latest repair after previously facing a separate repair bill of roughly $4,500 on similar equipment.
Because of those recurring costs, Burnett recommended the county consider annual service agreements for the monitors. “If we set up a one-year service plan, it would cover all the parts and labor for it,” he said.
Burnett said the proposed service agreement would also include replacement batteries and loaner equipment while repairs are being completed. Commissioners requested additional information on the potential service plans for future consideration.
IN OTHER NEWS, County Clerk Shannon Patterson outlined several budget concerns commissioners may face in the coming years.
Patterson told commissioners her proposed clerk’s office budget contains only modest increases in payroll, benefits and postage, though she also left funding in place for a possible fourth employee position. “I should hopefully know after this year if I need to fill that,” Patterson said, noting election periods and tax season create heavier workloads for her office.
More significant concerns, however, involve upcoming election-related expenses. Patterson said Allen County will likely face substantial costs for both replacement voting equipment and a new statewide voter registration software system expected in 2028.
“That one’s going to be pricey,” Patterson said of the election equipment transition, later adding that many of the upcoming requirements may be outside local control because of state certification standards.
Commissioners asked whether the state may eventually help offset some of the costs. Reimbursement details remain uncertain until after next year’s legislative session and the transition to a new Kansas secretary of state administration, Patterson said. “We have just been told it is going to be very pricey.”
THE DISCUSSION shifted to the county’s senior transportation program and possible changes to federal transit funding.
Patterson explained that Allen Regional Transit (A.R.T.), is seeking 5310 grant funding through KDOT for transportation services. If A.R.T. receives the funding, the county would no longer receive the grant support it currently uses for its transportation program. The county is still waiting to learn whether it can retain its current van if another organization receives KDOT funding for transportation services.
Because of that uncertainty, Patterson increased capital outlay and vehicle funding slightly in the proposed budget to help prepare for future costs if the county continues operating transportation services.
