Cannon County approves six‑year lease‑purchase for EMS equipment, citing safety and maintenance benefits

The Cannon County Board of Commissioners on June 4 approved Resolution 2026‑6, a six‑year lease‑purchase agreement to replace aging and discontinued emergency‑medical-service equipment.

Justin Harris, who presented the item as the county director responsible for EMS needs, said the package would replace stretchers, patient‑load systems, heart monitors and stair chairs and would bring consistent equipment across the county’s four ambulances. Harris said the agreement is a lease‑to‑own plan that delivers equipment immediately, covers maintenance by the manufacturer for a 10‑year period and requires six annual payments that leave the county owning the equipment for $1 at the contract’s end.

Harris told commissioners the county had budgeted $105,000 across two lines (334 and 790) over the past two years and that the proposed six‑year commitment would use about $103,579 in existing budgeted funds, with an interest rate of roughly 2–2.9 percent. “This will ensure all ambulances are stocked the same,” Harris said, adding the vendor will replace faulty batteries or broken components at no charge during the covered period.

Commissioners asked about per‑unit costs and current fleet needs; Harris said a retail stretcher can cost about $35,000 and the county currently needs to replace four stretchers. He characterized the plan as fiscally responsible compared with repeated large capital requests and said similar regional counties have adopted the same program. The motion to approve Resolution 2026‑6 passed on a unanimous roll call vote.

Next steps: County administration will finalize the lease‑purchase documents and proceed with implementation under the terms described to the commission.