Overton Losing Free Ambulance Service

OVERTON � People in Overton may soon be charged for ambulance services. This, after an announcement made during Thursday night�s city council meeting. KETK reports Champion EMS will no longer be providing its free service to the city. This means the yearly $50,000 cost will be passed on to taxpayers. City Manager Charles Cunningham says it�s a critical service the community cannot do without. He says, �We could look at other providers, but they�re in the same boat as Champion EMS. I mean it�s not a question of a money grab by the ambulance services; it�s simply they ran out of the subsidy of funding they used to get from the hospital.� Cunningham added that the city has budget reserves to deal with the immediate needs of the service. However, that money will eventually run out and the costs will be passed on to the people in Overton. The next public hearing is set for January 15th.