Select Board writes off $25,414.89 in uncollectible ambulance bills, authorizes $80,000 surplus to offset taxes amid audit delays

The Searsport Select Board voted to write off $25,414.89 in uncollectible ambulance billings from the first half of 2026 and to use up to $80,000 from unappropriated surplus to offset town property tax burdens.

James told the board that some ambulance bills are uncollectible because patients have died, some accounts are out of state and others are indigent; after review staff determined further collection efforts would not be productive. A motion to authorize the town manager to write off the uncollectible ambulance amount carried on a unanimous vote.

Separately, James described persistent difficulty securing a municipal auditor: staff contacted about 16 firms with no firm willing to perform the audit at this time. He estimated last year’s surplus was just shy of $700,000 and said his rough current guess is over $800,000 but emphasized the number is provisional pending an audit. He recommended a conservative use of $80,000 of unappropriated surplus to offset taxes; the Select Board approved the authorization by voice vote.

During correspondence James noted ambulance revenue collected to date (about $100,873) with $340,294 outstanding, and that only a small portion of accounts were written off at this time. The board said it will review ambulance billing rates and related policies at an upcoming workshop.