Dr. John Warner Hospital officials are currently working on DeWitt County's ambulance situation post referendum vote in March.

Plans have begun to investigate costs, equipment and housing needs should the referendum for a County wide ambulance service pass in March. Ambulance manager at the DJWH Terrence Hubbard explains referendum in March will ask voters to approve a property tax increase of up to 0.25% to help fund an ambulance service. He notes the 0.25% is the maximum tax that can be enforced, however, he says only half will be necessary to fund the service.

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The current referendum that will be on the ballot has two primary advantages for voters of DeWitt County. First, the tax rate is the lowest enforceable tax rate of all the options available. Second, all of DeWitt County is covered with the referendum, minus Farmer City, which is currently paying taxes for an ambulance service. Hubbard explains, should the referendum fail, County residents will be at a serious disadvantage to having ambulance service by the end of the year deadline, especially Clinton residents, because they are not part of a Fire Protection District.

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Should the referendum pass in March, the DeWitt County Board will be the governing body to decide how they move forward to provide ambulance service to the county. Hubbard says their plan is to present the Board with a proposal for a community based non-profit ambulance service. According to Hubbard, getting the service in place ready for service by the end of the year is not going to be an issue.

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This afternoon on Regional Radio News and dewittdailynews.com we will let you know what the hospital has done to prepare for a non-profit service and what their longer term goals are for the service.