PERRY, Wis. — The Town of Perry Board voted Monday night to end its contract with New Glarus Area EMS on Dec. 31 and petition to join the Sugar River EMS District for coverage beginning Jan. 1, 2027.
Draft minutes from the Sept. 21 meeting were made available for public view for the first time late Tuesday evening. They show that Perry officials weighed the higher cost of Sugar River EMS against what the board viewed as advantages in staffing, response capability, patient care and local representation.
Board members focused on Sugar River’s paid, around-the-clock staffing and the ability to have personnel ready for emergency calls from the New Glarus station. New Glarus Area EMS, by contrast, continues to operate as a volunteer service and has two ambulances, with one used for interfacility patient transport and the other available for emergency response.
The board also considered Sugar River’s governance structure. Each participating municipality has equal voting representation on the district board, giving member communities a direct role in decisions about the service. Perry officials also noted that Sugar River is applying for another Innovation Grant that could help offset some EMS costs.
Remaining content is for paid members only.
Please subscribe to any paid plan to unlock this article and more content.
Subscribe Now
