GRAVETTE -- Justice of Peace Steve Curry, of Gravette, announced a town-hall meeting to discuss the proposed EMS (Emergency Medical Services) funding election will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24, at the Billy V. Hall Senior Activity/Wellness Center in Gravette.

The election, scheduled Feb. 11, involves a proposal which, if approved by citizens, will assess an $85 annual fee for households in the non-incorporated areas of Benton County to help fund ambulance service in those areas.

Only voters who live outside city corporate limits will vote on the proposal which the County Quorum Court approved. A petition drive to place the measure on a ballot resulted in the upcoming election.

The Court, on which Curry is a Justice of Peace for District 11 (northwest Benton County), has been struggling for years to assist cities which are presently providing ambulance service to rural residents in their areas.

Gravette provides service to a wide area, from the Oklahoma and Missouri state lines to the Decatur area, rural areas east and south to near Centerton, east to an area east of Hiwasse, northeast to Bella Vista and to Sulphur Springs and Maysville and their rural areas.

Gravette recently purchased a new ambulance at a cost of $165,880, to be financed over a five-year period. It is staffed by paramedics 24/7 and provides advance life support.

The city of Gravette has budgeted $476,173 to operate the service for 2014, with almost $290,000 of that amount earmarked for salaries.

Last year Gravette received $33,000 in assistance from the county and $5,000 from the city of Decatur. Local revenues pay for the balance of the operation costs.

Curry said District 9 JP Susan Anglin has indicated she will be present at the meeting. He urged people who have questions or seek information about the ballot measure to attend the town-hall meeting.