(KAIR)--The Atchison City and County Commissions came together Tuesday night for a joint meeting to discuss where a new county wide EMS facility should be located.

City Manager Trey Cocking presented the City's proposal to headquarter EMS services inside the city limits at the city fire station. The plan included the city's projection of cost savings and reduced response times.

Following the presentation, County Commissioner Eric Noll stated that if the city took over services in the eastern part of the county, it would exclude Effingham, which costs around $500,000 to run at the current level. He said “by absorbing most of the traffic, you are basically letting Effingham whither on the vine. This is a county service, it isn't an Atchison service.”

Cocking explained that there could still be a cost savings, saying “in my estimation, if they are telling us $500,000, we are telling you $125,000, that's $625,000, that's $55,000 cheaper plus the cost of utilities, and the cost of buildings, and that sort of thing on the eastern district, so you would still come out ahead even if it is $500,000.”

Although both Commissions during the session stated they needed to work together, tensions ran high at times. City Mayor Jack Bower told Commissioner Noll that the challenge with any negotiation is looking at all sides, and reminded him of a statement Noll made during a recent county commission meeting saying “you said that you were not going to vote for this again...your tone tonight sounds like you have continued that premise....your tone is very negative, and that is a challenge.” Noll responded by asking Bower why he would have changed his mind and further stated that “I even asked myself, you know, I haven't been in this position very long, and I thought, am I out on a limb? Am I doing the right thing? So I have been visiting with a lot of people, and I have visited with three people who have held the same position, and not one of them has encouraged me to take this deal.”
Residents who were present expressed their desire for the two sides to work together, while voicing their concerns, including a possible increase in response times.

At the meeting's conclusion, Cocking asked the County Commissioners if there was anything the city could change to get them to say yes to the proposal. Pohl and Noll said there was not, leaving Cocking to state that it might be time for the city to move on to other projects.