Ballot decision July 12

The Jefferson County Commissioners voted Tuesday on a referendum for a resolution to place a special ambulance district on the November 8 ballot.

The Commissioners will vote July 12 on the resolution for the district whose coverage area would include the Whitehall school district, excluding the Whitehall town limits and Madison and Silver Bow Counties. Members of the Jefferson Valley EMS and Rescue have requested the district be placed on the ballot. The meeting will take place at the Clerk and Record ers meeting room in Boulder.

Prior to voting on the referendum Tuesday, Commissioner Leonard Wortman said he has been seen this issue unfolding a long time and that he is quite frankly tired of accusations from both sides.

“It’s like having a bunch of third graders in the sandbox,” he said.

Wortman did not take a side on the issue and said the right to vote is the most basic right and if placed on the ballot, it will be defeated if that’s not what the public wants.

Prior to the Commissioner discussion on the issue, several county residents spoke both for and against placing the district on the ballot.

Resident Dawn Welch told the Commissioners that facts don’t choose sides and asked them to do what is in best interest of the people. She said if the proposed district was good for the community -- it would have brought it together.

Whitehall Town Attorney Matthew Haus questioned why this decision needed to be made right now with so many questions about the issue. He said if there were support for the issue there would have been enough petitions signed to put it on the ballot.

JVEMSR member Angel Adams said to put the issue on the ballot and let the public decide.