photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical staff meet with Douglas County commissioners on Wednesday, April 9, 2025.

Douglas County commissioners on Wednesday raised concerns about the City of Lawrence’s planned 2026 budget cuts to Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical and the impact that those reductions would have on the county.

On April 1, Lawrence city commissioners — facing the need for $6.6 million in cuts — met to update plans for the 2026 budget, proposing staffing reductions, replenishing the city’s reserve fund and maintaining market rate pay increases for employees. Staff summarized potential budget cuts for next year, including $1.5 million to $1.9 million in reductions – or 4% to 6% – to LDCFM, based on feedback city commissioners gave from a January proposal, as the Journal-World reported.

LDCFM has two initial proposals for addressing the cuts: one that seeks additional revenue from the county and another that would reduce fire and medical services, possibly cutting 18 employees, if no extra county funding is provided. City commissioners asked their staff to prioritize the first proposal to have more support from Douglas County.

The first proposal would alter the funding split between the two governments, changing from the current 64% city-funded and 36% county-funded to the county being responsible for about 41% to 44% of support.

If there is a higher reliance on funding from the county, as outlined in the first proposal, LDCFM staff shared that this will shift resources around in their operations.

The first proposal from LDCFM means the department would also have to drop a fire truck at Station 5, located at 19th and Iowa Streets – equipped with water pumps, hoses and firefighting tools. Then, they will up-staff a ladder truck and add one medic unit or a vehicle staffed with paramedics. Overall, this will reduce the personnel on duty for each shift from 39 to 38.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

Douglas County commissioners met on Wednesday, April 9, 2025.

County commission at their meeting on Wednesday were disappointed that the county was expected to take on cuts made by the city, particularly for a department that currently needs additional support in addressing a higher emergency call volume.

County Administrator Sarah Plinsky told commissioners on Wednesday that the county is being put in a situation where it may have to raise taxes. She said last time the county absorbed a $1 million transfer from the city for LDCFM, it raised taxes.

“The county is not necessarily at the table for those deliberations on how we get to this point in a joint governance model,” Plinsky said. “We could look at some … other solutions as to how to approach this budget situation.”

Commissioner Erica Anderson said she found it highly unacceptable that cuts to LDCFM could mean losing valuable staff and put people and safety infrastructure in the county at risk.

Commissioner Shannon Reid said the city has been very direct in saying LDCFM is getting cut, “and we will lower our standards to match it.”

Reid said she’s frustrated because such significant cuts are being forced on LDCFM before the city and county can craft a new inter-government agreement for the department. The agreement was originally set to expire in 2024, but it was extended for a year to allow both local governments more time to reach a new agreement.

Reid also said that when budget season came around last year, she recalls a city commissioner specifically calling the county a “minority partner on paper” for LDCFM.

“Sure, that’s true … we’re not the majority of your budget,” Reid said. “I understand the notion of that, but I do believe that just a simple look at those numbers and an assumption that the county … will always follow suit, is not a good approach to joint governance.”

Commissioner Patrick Kelly said it would be important to schedule a time to meet with the city and LDCFM to brainstorm how to solve this challenge. Kelly said it’s unhelpful for both governments to avoid discussing shared budget issues together.

“I don’t think it does us any good as a community to create a political football that goes up and down (Massachusetts) Street,” Kelly said. ” … I think there’s a missing part of this trifecta here, and that’s the city in tonight’s conversation.”

“We can do better than that,” he said of the city shifting responsibility. Kelly said the County Commission has been very supportive of LDCFM staff.

“We want to continue to do that, but we have our own limitations as well, and I know you all recognize that,” Kelly said to LDCFM staff present at the meeting. “So how do we work together for the betterment of our community and for the safety of our community within our resources?”

Simon Stephenson, an engineer paramedic with LDCFM, spoke during public comment, saying he supported the data presented to commissioners on Wednesday that showed the need for additional resources, not fewer.

There has been a steady increase in incidents LDCFM responds to each year. The department responded to 16,854 incidents in 2023 and 17,572 in 2024.

“The needs have existed well before any of these difficult budget parameters from the city commissioners,” Stephenson said. “Do not let concerns to the city’s budget distract from providing appropriate EMS services to the systems of Douglas County.”

Plinsky said the next step is to have LDCFM attend a work session sometime in May to get an idea of what the department is planning to ask of the county for the 2026 budget.