S.O.S. Pads and Government

What Sumner County, the federal government, and inflation have to do with each other

With seven children, I cook a LOT. With cooking, comes dishes. I hate dishes and I wash a lot of dishes. Sometimes I wasn’t paying attention to what is on the stove, mostly as I was diffusing fights between my four older boys. Enter S.O.S. pads. Those things are the BOMB on stainless pans. Since I have seven children, I’m cheap. The little blue box of Walmart generic S.O.S. pads are my go to. That box has cost $1 for as long as I can remember. I do a lot of shopping, so I would know. Last week that box cost me $1.26. If you really think inflation isn’t a thing, let me tell you, $1.26 is no joke. That is a 26% increase over the last 2-3 years. I’m not happy. I’m hemorrhaging cash to the grocery store.

Why??? Well, it was brought to my attention this week that the federal government handed out money like it was playing cards. Sumner County got $10 million in the Revenue Recovery Act, and other money in the American Rescue Plan Act. There were Covid grants and I’m pretty sure the govt handed out checks to businesses and families. Sumner County isn’t the only county that got money, I’m not picking on them. All counties, states, and cities got money. Everyone got money. Ugh.

Why are my S.O.S pads 26% more? Well, there is part of the answer. The feds gave out our money all over the country, and then all over the world. Rant on the feds over. Now the question is what are the counties, etc. going to do with the money? I do not have enough time or will power to seek out all Covid money all over the area. However, this line item up here is interesting to me. Before the county commission in Sumner County changed last summer, a few things were put into the budget. One of these items is an EMS facility in White House. One of the commissioners in Sumner County reached out and asked if I had heard about this. Given that I attend 95% of all planning and BOMA meetings, I would think I would have heard something. Nope.

Let’s start with the where. Yesterday I listened to the first hour of the budget committee meeting of Sumner County. (you’re welcome, that’s as fun as it sounds) About 49 minutes in, Jon Isbell, Sumner County Mayor tells the committee where the county is looking at building. Isbell states that he has spoken to Scott Langford, Director of Sumner County Schools, and there is property on 31W next to the intermediate school that the schools would be willing to give to the county. The school has decided not to build a stadium over there. That would save the county from having to buy property in White House. Jeremy Mansfield asked him to clarify. Isbell was unsure of the change of plans from the school and said that the board would need to ask Langford.

The schools own 5.01, 5, 7, and 7.01. It seems that 7.01 would be the correct property since it is the only piece with access to 31W. That is speculation on my part since there is nothing in writing currently and the director of schools is talking with the county mayor.

What is an EMS facility? This $2 million facility would house an ambulance. Essentially this is a garage. This would allow Sumner County to park an ambulance in White House at their facility.

Here’s the most important part of this issue. White House doesn’t need an EMS facility, nor do they want it. Years ago, Portland, Millersville, and White House all sat down with the EMS directors, police, and fire and figured out what needed to be done for the cities that straddled counties. White House decided to go with Robertson County for their EMS. Currently, White House is very happy with their set up. Recently, Robertson County updated all of their communications, and White House spent money to add new radios in order to stay current with Robertson County.

In the past, there were issues with confusion on calls. A call would go in to Sumner County, and the city would be unaware of the issue. Now, all calls go through the Robertson County dispatch and police, EMS, and fire can all be sent to calls as needed. The delays that occurred were fixed with arrangements that are in place now.

If Sumner County were to put an ambulance in White House and they were to assist on a call, their equipment would not be compatible with Robertson County’s. A patient would not be able to be transferred from one service to another. This information came from city administrator Herman. Herman also stated that he has not seen evidence of complaints from White House residents about service. Herman has heard discussion about this facility over the course of last year and told both Wes Wynne (Sumner County Commissioner) and Darryl Rogers (Sumner County EMS Director) that we do not want or need this in White House. Yet Mayor Isbell is still pushing this. One has to ask why?

Does this have to do with private ambulances? I can’t answer that one. The private ambulance situation was explained to me by a county commissioner. This is my basic understanding…..If the county has an EMS facility in the area, they can contract with a private ambulance service to aid that “territory.” In the counties, the private ambulances take scheduled runs. ie-taking a nursing home patient to dialysis. If the city of White House doesn’t need a new EMS facility, why does Sumner County think we do? Reach out to your county commissioner and your county mayor. Ask these questions. I don’t have the answers, just the questions.