By Cindy Schroeder
Enquirer staff writer

FORT WRIGHT - Supporters of a special taxing district to pay for paramedic service on a permanent basis say Kenton County governments must decide by Oct. 1 whether they're in or out.

At one time, 10 northern and central Kenton County cities had expressed interest in passing legislation to create the district, starting July 1, 2005. However, membership of the proposed district has fluctuated in recent weeks.

Some cities that had initially leaned toward joining the district are undecided, while others say they may contract with individual cities that plan to start their own paramedic service next year.

Covington started offering paramedic service to its residents on Aug. 22.

Meanwhile, the Independence Fire District and Erlanger officials have said they plan to offer advanced life support by next spring. Elsmere officials have said they will likely contract with Erlanger for paramedic service next year. Edgewood City Council, which hasn't taken an official vote, is still trying to finalize a proposal with Erlanger for permanent paramedic service, Administrator Roger Rolfes said.

"It's decision time, and we need to know where everybody stands,'' Fort Wright Administrator Larry Klein said. Klein is chairman of the advanced life support committee of the Kenton County Mayor's Group, which has been wrestling with the issue for more than a year.

Klein met last week with representatives of eight cities and the county to discuss where the group goes from here.

Time is of the essence because participating cities also have to appoint a board by Jan. 1 to oversee operation of the paramedic service, Klein said.

Officials in Crescent Springs and Villa Hills had initially indicated they wanted to be part of the district but have since questioned whether to do so.

"By Oct. 1, we need to find out from Crescent Springs and Villa Hills what their intentions are,'' Klein said.

"If we're still going to have a district, the rest of us need to have two readings of an ordinance.''

If one or both of those cities opt out, governments that have already had first reading of an ordinance to form the district would have to re-write the legislation and have two more readings. Residents of participating cities would pay a tax of 20 cents per $1,000 assessed value for the service.

"There have been so many twists and turns over the last couple of days that I'm not sure which way the council is leaning,'' Villa Hills Mayor Mike Sadouskas said Friday. He said representatives of his city hope to meet with Klein and Fort Mitchell Administrator Bill Goetz next week to resolve questions related to the cost and makeup of the board.

"Whether those answers will cause (council) to vote yes or no (on joining the district), I don't know,'' Sadouskas said. "There are many questions we need to get answered before our Sept. 15 council meeting.''

Crescent Springs Mayor Claire Moriconi wants her council to make up its mind on Sept. 13.

"It's not fair to the other cities for us to keep putting off our decision,'' she said.

TransCare Inc., a non-profit corporation owned by St. Luke Hospital and St. Elizabeth Medical Center, has provided paramedic service to all of Kenton County in recent years. But it told fire officials earlier this year that annual subscriptions and insurance payments weren't covering costs. Kenton County cities and Kenton Fiscal Court cobbled together a stopgap agreement in June to continue service for another year.

E-mail cschroeder@enquirer.com