Last Thursday, Judge-Executive Joe Ward and magistrates heard a lengthy barrage of comments and questions aired by Daryl Deguire of Smithland relating to the county's decision to pay Mercy $240,000 annually to maintain the ambulance service.

"I think everybody wants to know how much this is costing the taxpayers," Deguire said, citing calculations of his own which put the actual cost to the county to fund the emergency service at over half-a-million dollars.

Deguire says the took the face-value of the two-year contract and added the county's cost to maintain an ambulance fleet with routine maintenance, fuel and supply costs, plus various other expenses.

"I can't see this as being fiscally responsible," Deguire added after presenting his figures. "An earlier proposal was rejected (by the county) because it was too costly, now you're out more."

In May, the fiscal court held off awarding ambulance management to Mercy after the company submitted a feasibility study for running the service for one year. The estimated yearly cost was over $500,000.

Ward, however, challenged Deguires estimates saying, "I can't see this costing half-a-million. Maybe more like about $250,000..."

He also questioned Deguire's time, nearly a month after the county reached its long-awaited decision to contract Mercy as its ambulance management.

"This is like closing the barn door after the horse is out, Daryl."

Deguire said he just wants to know how much the total package is going to cost taxpayers of Livingston County.

"That's the bottom line," he said. "And I can't seem to get the figures I need."

In January, the fiscal court instituted a one-percent occupational tax expected to raise some $600,000 in revenue to primarily help pay for the ambulance service and the convalescent center in Smithland.