FORT PIERRE, S.D.(KCCR)- The future of a proposed ambulance district for Hughes and Stanley County is becoming a bigger question mark than before.  The Stanley County Commission was the only governing board in the Pierre/Fort Pierre area to have the district on its agenda Tuesday night.  The crowd of people interested in the topic lingered into the parking lot of the Stanley County Courthouse.  Members of the Fort Pierre City Council also attended and brought back an update.

Alderman Scott Deal is Fort Pierre’s representative on the local ambulance board.  He says himself and Stanley County Commissioner Dennis Booth; Stanley County’s ambulance board liaison discussed Stanley County’s backing away with Hughes County Commission Chairman Randy Brown.

Deal says it’s best for Stanley County and Fort Pierre to step back and look at all available options.

Fort Pierre, Pierre, Stanley and Hughes Counties have all budgeted for ambulance service for 2023 because ambulance district funding wouldn’t have been available until the 2024 budget year.  American Medical Responses costs are increasing from 135-thousand dollars in 2022 to 415-thousand for 2023.