At last nights Crossville City Council meeting, City Council Member Dr. Mark Fox proposed removing his item regarding a city-run ambulance service from the agenda due to financial concerns, specifying that it wasn’t due to concerns about service quality or quantity. He suggested the city manager and attorney explore alternative funding options and report back.

The motion to remove the item was approved unanimously.

This follows the discussion at the June 3 City Council work session, where the council debated integrating an ambulance service into the Crossville Fire Department, prompted by resident Mickey Eldridge’s concerns about EMS delays. The proposed service, initially set for July 1, 2026, would use four ambulances and cross-trained firefighter-paramedics but faced a projected $1.8 million annual loss, including equipment and wage costs.

Funding options like a 30-cent property tax increase or using city savings raised sustainability concerns, while County EMS warned of potential layoffs and longer response times if call volume dropped.