CUMBERLAND — Allegany County officials and the leadership of its emergency services department are still working to close a $1 million shortfall plaguing the 2025 fiscal budget which could lead to layoffs.
County officials said in a press release Tuesday that if the issue is not resolved it could be “forced to lay off staff.”
The EMS staffing situation was discussed at the regular meeting of the Allegany County Board of Commissioners Thursday at the county office complex on Kelly Road.
The county has been under pressure to cut a targeted $2 million from the skyrocketing EMS budget as part of an attempt to close an overall shortfall of $13.1 million in its fiscal 2025 budget. The EMS cuts are part of reductions being implemented across the board in all the departments and agencies funded by the county.
The commissioners voted unanimously Thursday to adopt a $139 million budget, which was done without raising property taxes. State guidelines require the county to adopt a budget by May 31.
“We don’t make these decisions lightly and we will continue to work hard to limit the impact it has on our citizens,” said Dave Caporale, commission president. “While these decisions are difficult, they are necessary to keep our finances in order and ensure that our citizens do not feel an extra tax burden during this inflationary period.”
Although the budget was adopted, county officials said they hope a resolution can be reached with EMS leadership before the budget must be enacted on July 1.
When the deficit was disclosed last month, county officials asked Department of Emergency Services leadership and union representatives to identify areas to cut expenses while maintaining coverage throughout the county.
“They (EMS) have identified approximately $900,000 in savings by cutting fringe programs and benefits,” the commissioners said in the press release. “Most of their budget comprises staff costs, which they consider fixed expenses. However, we believe there is room for improvement in scheduling that could significantly reduce costs.”
To further narrow the deficit, county officials are requesting that changes be made to some employee time schedules.
EMS staffers now work a 24-hour shift followed by three days off. County officials said that arrangement has contributed significantly to the budget shortfall by racking up $1.5 million in overtime expenses last year.
“It’s created a situation we cannot afford,” the release said. “We have proposed moving to 12-hour shifts for a small number of union employees. Under this plan, staff members would work 36 hours a week but be paid for 40, cutting our overtime costs and making a substantial difference in our budget while maintaining EMS coverage throughout the county. The union has refused this proposal and has not suggested any alternatives.”
County officials said it would require less than 15 positions to transition to a 12-hour shift.
Steve Corioni, International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1715 president, which represents 46 EMS employees, raised concerns of the proposal at Thursday’s meeting. He said a situation occurred recently in Cumberland where not enough ambulances were available and an injured individual had to be transported to the hospital by a police car.
“Any reduction in services is going to be a problem for our citizens,” Corioni said. “If our current system is struggling to keep up, what’s it going to be like with the cuts?”
In an effort to resolve the shortfall, Corioni had proposed a public safety tax that would cost the average homeowner $6 per month and generate roughly $2.4 million in revenue. However, the commissioners showed no desire to implement new taxes.
Corioni said he would review the county’s suggestion in the coming days of placing 15 workers on 12-hour shifts.
EMS costs have increased by 400% over the last five years. At one time the EMS cost was near zero to the county when fire and rescue stations were largely staffed by volunteers. However, over the last five years, a dramatic reduction in volunteers has forced the county to hire EMS personnel.
Caporale said after the meeting that if layoffs are required, they would likely be countywide and not necessarily only affect DES employees. He said placing an estimate on the numbers of layoffs possible, if a compromise is not reached, is difficult.
“We’re trying to get something together with the union to avoid layoffs,” Caporale said after the meeting. “We did pass everything tonight but we can amend the budget accordingly if needed before July. It sounds like they want to work with us so we still have some work to do.”