Crowd Fills Kirbyville City Hall, Ambulance Contract Stalled

Kirbyville City Hall drew a packed crowd Tuesday night, but ambulance service talks ended without a deal.

KIRBYVILLE, Texas – What was expected to be a decisive night for ambulance service in Kirbyville ended in frustration, as a last-minute challenge derailed plans for a new EMS contract.

On Tuesday evening, the board of Jasper County Emergency Services District 3 (ESD 3) — the entity responsible for providing fire and EMS coverage in the Kirbyville area — was prepared to approve a three-year agreement with Allegiance Mobile Health. While ESD 3 covers the communities around Kirbyville, the city itself is not part of the district, which is why board members have been asking Kirbyville officials to contribute financially toward ambulance service. But just before the vote could be taken, representatives from Acadian Ambulance stood up and argued that the district had moved forward with Allegiance without first opening the contract to competitive bids — a step required under state law.

Faced with the objection, the board opted to table the contract rather than risk a flawed process. Allegiance had recently reduced its proposal from $250,000 to $200,000 per year, but the bidding issue now leaves the deal temporarily stalled.

Residents Push for Action

The Kirbyville City Council meeting, held earlier the same evening, drew a large turnout of residents urging officials to contribute funding for ambulance service. ESD 3 has asked the city to help cover costs — estimated at roughly $75,000 annually.

Many in attendance stressed that response times in the area are already too long. Some described waiting close to an hour for an ambulance to arrive, while others noted that families and schools have had to rely on neighboring cities or even private vehicles to handle emergencies.

Leadership Hesitation

While citizens pressed for action, city leadership was more cautious. Mayor Frank George has repeatedly pointed to budget pressures and has suggested that a citywide property tax increase — requiring voter approval — may be necessary if Kirbyville is to provide financial support. He has also floated the idea of cost-sharing with Kirbyville CISD.

The school district’s superintendent has indicated the matter could be brought before the school board for discussion.

Accountability Acknowledged

Incoming ESD 3 President Gary Barlow openly admitted after the meeting that the board had mishandled the process. In remarks reported by 12 News, he conceded, “I didn’t research it enough… that’s my fault.”

Barlow added that the district would correct the mistake and move forward quickly, telling residents they would still see ambulance service because “the folks voted for it and that’s what they want, that’s what they’re going to get.”

Despite his pledge, the contract remains tabled while the bidding process is restarted, and funding questions — including whether Kirbyville will contribute financially — are still unresolved.

Next Steps

For now, the future of ambulance coverage in ESD 3 remains unsettled. The board must restart the process and open the contract to competitive bids, giving Acadian and any other providers the chance to submit proposals alongside Allegiance.

Even if a contract is eventually approved, funding remains a separate challenge. Until both the bidding process and the funding question are resolved, residents remain without a clear timeline for when — or even if — dedicated ambulance service will be secured.