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By NOAH WORTHAM | Staff Writer

COLUMBIANA – The Shelby County Commission approved the use of carryover funds for Parks and Recreation grants and Emergency Medical Services transport during a regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, Jan. 9.

Part of the resolution utilizes Fiscal Year 2023 funding for the Shelby County Park and Recreation Grant Program in order to increase park and recreation opportunities and facilities across Shelby County.

“We are going to use Fiscal Year 2022 carry over funds,” County Manager Chad Scroggins said, “to fund some recreational projects throughout our county that were in excess of those that we budgeted for.”

The second part of the resolution provides funding to help with EMS transport.

“The second part is a very significant project that I’ve been working (on) with the fire chiefs for about two years,” Scroggins said.

In the past, the commission put an incentive in $1,000 per a square mile to expand EMS transport, however, there are large municipalities alongside the I65 corridor that do not have EMS transport and rely on others.

“What we’re proposing to do is start an incentive program that purchases the capital for EMS transport,” Scroggins said, “and rely on our municipal partners to provide the personnel, of which, with EMS transport, you do build insurance so they can get revenue to offset their costs.”

Scroggins said that he has talked with municipal leaders, and the goal is to start the program now.

“The lead time for these vehicles is 18 to 24 months,” he said. “They can start (with) the purchase for those vehicles now so, when we have the personnel lined up for the future budgets from the municipalities, we can accomplish that.”

Carryover funds from Fiscal Year 2022 are being used to support the purchase of transport vehicles for municipal and district entities.

The resolution also added additional employees to landfill/environmental services and water services.

The next Shelby County Commission meeting will be held on Monday, Jan. 23 at 6 p.m. at the Shelby County Administrative Building in Columbiana.