STURGIS, S.D. – By a wide margin, rural voters voted to approve establishing a rural ambulance district to serve the areas just outside Sturgis city limits.
The unofficial results from the Meade County Auditor’s office indicate 480 votes for and 66 against. Auditor Lisa Schieffer says there was a 30-percent turnout.
Up next will be to set up a board of directors to oversee the district and to decide what they would like to do for an ambulance service.
The area is currently served by the City of Sturgis Ambulance Service.
The next step for the group will be to establish a board of directors. Then, they will determine how they want to go about funding an ambulance service for the rural areas.
The vote follows a request by the city of Sturgis to develop a way to help pay for the Sturgis Ambulance Service if they are to continue to receive it.
City residents pay for the ambulance through the property taxes.
Rural residents can decide if they want to keep receiving the Sturgis Ambulance Service or start their own.
