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(Pocatello for Accountable Government Entities, November 11, 2026)
On 11/05/26, Pocatello Fire Chief and administrator of the Bannock County Ambulance District, Shane Grow, asked the Bannock County commissioners to place a levy-override measure on the May 2027 ballot to fund one additional ALS ambulance to be stationed in Chubbuck.
Grow said the district’s call volume rose from about 5,362 calls in 2011 to roughly 10,058 in fiscal year 2026 — a rise he described as about an 88% increase since the last levy override.
The proposed levy was reported by Fire Chief Grow to translate to about $40 per $100,000 of assessed value (current county figures shown to commissioners were about $22.89 per $100,000) and estimated to provide approximately $1,773,000 in new annual revenue to cover staffing, maintenance, supplies and training.
Outlined planned uses include hiring six new paramedics (~$750,000), two positions to complete McCammon staffing (~$250,000), vehicle maintenance, training and one-time capital purchases (new-vehicle and equipment). He also said the district would use federal Ground Emergency Medical Transportation (GEMT) reimbursements as an offset when available but stated those funds are variable and dependent on call volume, etc.
Commissioners did not vote on the levy; they asked for additional supporting data (population-growth figures since 2011, reserve balances, and a clearer breakdown of one-time versus ongoing costs) before deciding whether to formally place the measure on the ballot. The Commissioners expressed general support for adding capacity to the county’s north end.
The levy override request is anticipated to return to a Bannock County Commissioner’s agenda in about a month for additional clarification on dispatch-cost proposals, etc. and further discussion.
Commissioners also briefly mentioned the ongoing, lack of an updated contract. The County/Ambulance District have been operating on an expired contract since approximately 2017. A new contract is anticipated to complete legal review this month.
11/05/26 Video of Presentation to Commissioners:
