Finances for the New Building

01/12/2026

The Upper Scioto Valley Ambulance District is committed to responsible financial management, transparent communication, and ensuring equitable emergency medical coverage for all residents. As part of this commitment, the district has evaluated its revenues, long‑term financial outlook, and travel‑time data to guide the development of a new centrally located EMS station.

Revenue Overview

The district receives significant funding through wind and solar PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) programs, which serve as a primary source for the planned building project. Hardin Solar II went operational on December 13th, 2024, and Hardin Solar III went operational on February 24th, 2025. Both projects are now fully operational. In 2027, we should see the income for Hardin Solar II and Hardin Solar III.

Wind and Solar PILOT Revenues

Wind Pilot Program (Roundhead & McDonald Township): $60,140.77
Solar Pilot Program (Marion Township): $139,171.23
Solar Pilot Program (Roundhead Township): $50,233.45
Solar Pilot Program (McDonald Township): $91,521.41
Total Solar Pilot 2026: $280,926.09
Total Wind Pilot 2026: $60,140.77
Total Wind & Solar Pilot 2026: $341,066.86

Property Tax Revenues for 2026

Alger: $39,499
McGuffey: $20,231
Marion Township: $245,537
Roundhead Township: $115,984
McDonald Township: $135,001
Total Property Tax 2026: $556,252

These revenues provide a stable foundation for the district's operations and capital planning.

Building Budget and Financing

The district's building project has been structured to minimize taxpayer burden and maximize long‑term savings.

Lease/Loan amount: $1.5 million
Total project budget: $1.96 million
7% of the owners' budget is allocated to Design and Engineering Fees
Lease/Loan secured through JP Morgan Chase at a 3.91% interest rate
Principal payments will be due annually starting December 1, 2026
15-year term, with an option to pay off the loan as early as 2030

The project is designed to be funded primarily through wind and solar PILOT revenues, allowing the district to potentially pay off the building in approximately five years, rather than the full 15‑year loan period. Our clerk, Travis, prepared a six‑year financial outlook confirming that this approach is fiscally responsible and does not constitute financial mismanagement. When the current levy expires, the district anticipates requesting a renewal at a substantially reduced amount.

To further reduce costs, several project components—such as the well, septic system, leech bed, and asphalt—were managed separately to remain under the $75,000 prevailing wage threshold.

Operational Progress and Investments

Since the current levy was implemented, the district has made substantial investments to improve emergency medical services, including:

Two power stretchers
Manual stair chair and power stair chair
Zoll AutoPulse NXT
New 2024 Braun Ambulance
New Reporting System
Computer Time Clock System
Advanced EMT training for two full‑time providers
Transition from an all‑volunteer service to a staff of 6 full‑time providers, 21 part‑time providers, a full‑time salaried EMS Chief, and a part‑time salaried Board Fiscal Officer total cost of $588,900 a year which also includes the BWC, MC, and OPERS
Purchase of land for the new facility

These improvements reflect the district's commitment to modern, reliable, and professional EMS operations.

Why a New, Centrally Located Station Is Needed

The current station in Alger was designed to house vehicles and support occasional meetings. It is not equipped to support full‑time personnel or future growth. The new station will provide essential amenities such as bedrooms, a full bathroom with a shower, a kitchen, larger living quarters, dedicated offices, an expanded training room, a storm‑safe area, and a dry‑hydrant pond for firefighting.

While the current station could be modified, the district now serves all townships—not just Alger, McGuffey, and Marion. Relocating to a more central location will improve service equity across the district. Although response times may increase by 4–6 minutes in Alger and 1 minute in McGuffey, they will decrease significantly in the southern part of the district.

Using Google Maps mileage and travel‑time data, the district compared the current Alger station with the proposed site on State Route 235 in Roundhead Township.

Current Station — 207 E. Wagner Street, Alger (Marion Township)

• Alger Post Office: 0.2 miles — 1 minute

• McGuffey Post Office: 4.5 miles — 7 minutes

• Roundhead Post Office: 11 miles — 15 minutes

Proposed Station — 12279 State Route 235, Harrod (Roundhead Township)

• Alger Post Office: 4.9 miles — 6 minutes

• McGuffey Post Office: 6.7 miles — 8 minutes

• Roundhead Post Office: 6.1 miles — 8 minutes

Transport Distances to Lima Memorial Hospital

• From Alger Post Office: 15 miles — 22 minutes

• From McGuffey Post Office: 18 miles — 27 minutes

• From Roundhead Post Office: 18 miles — 27 minutes

The current station provides close proximity to Alger but is significantly farther from McGuffey and Roundhead. The proposed State Route 235 location offers a more balanced response area, with all three population centers located within a narrow 6–8 minute range. Transport times to Lima Memorial Hospital remain consistent across the district.

Feedback regarding the project's cost and scope is understood. However, delaying construction may result in significantly higher costs—potentially $8–9 million within ten years. Land for the new station was selected after outreach to local landowners along State Route 235 from County Road 110 to County Road 130 and careful evaluation of district‑wide travel patterns. Our goal was to stay close to our highest call volume area while still becoming more centrally located. We were ultimately hoping to obtain property on the corner of County Road 110 or Township Road 120 with the idea of the location being on a main road but providing a straight shot to all areas. Unfortunately, we were unable to obtain any land in those areas. We had offers further South on State Route 235, however we didn't want to move too far away from the area of high call volume. Thankfully, we were able to purchase land from a farmer on State Route 235 between County Road 126 and County Road 130.

In summary, the new building represents a prudent investment in the district's future capacity, efficiency, and ability to serve all residents equitably. The financial plan is sound, the location is strategically chosen, and the project supports long‑term operational sustainability.