MARS — Borough council has started work to prepare its budget for 2027.

Council members assured Keith Singleton, executive director of Quality EMS, at a meeting Monday, Sept. 21, the borough will take a $35 per household fee requested by the Mars-based nonprofit into account while putting together the budget.

Residents of Mars are served by the EMS provider, which operates four ambulances six days per week and three on Sundays.

Singleton said the municipal support provided by the fee is much needed because of ongoing financial struggles EMS is facing.

“It's so sad to see other EMS services struggle in really wealthy towns and really poor towns,” said Singleton. “They're closing their doors and their people don't get an ambulance.”

“We always try to support the fire company well and the police as much as possible and the ambulance,” Council President Michael Fleming said. “That should be our job here to do that.”

Singleton emphasized the $35 mark is a ballpark to ensure all the municipalities Quality EMS serves are contributing roughly the same per household.

There are 308 housing units in Mars Borough proper, Councilwoman Jana Snavely said.

Despite the unusual situation the borough is facing due to a potential merger with Adams Township, the borough will certifiably remain independent through 2027, Fleming noted. Fleming said council would need to address the fee in its budget regardless of the outcome of the vote.

Quality EMS’s request for the fee has mostly gotten a positive response from municipalities, though there has been some opposition.

Seven Fields recently voted for an agreement with the nonprofit provider starting in 2027. On the other hand, Forward Township voted in August to terminate service from Quality EMS rather than pay the fee.

Fleming said that while it is too early in the budget planning stage to tell if there will be any tax hike resulting from the Quality EMS fee, he does not anticipate one at the moment. Council planned to sort out the revenue portion of the budget during an executive session at Monday, Sept. 21’s meeting.