NATCHEZ — The Adams County Board of Supervisors will open proposals Monday from first responders to see what they can offer the county as its proposed single ambulance provider.

The board put out a request for proposals for ambulance services in late March, following several months of discussions in which the supervisors said the county’s ambulance response times are too slow.

The proposals are due in the Chancery Clerk’s office by 8:30 a.m. Monday, and will be opened in the supervisors’ office at 10 a.m. Monday.

While most areas have what amounts to a franchise for ambulance service, Adams County has three services within its borders, but none with a government contract.

Two of the ambulance services in Adams County — Metro Ambulance and American Medical Response — share in 911-call response, while the third, Rural Rapid Response, works as the sole provider for Franklin County.

County Administrator Joe Murray has said in the past Adams County is unique in not having an ambulance contract.

Supervisors President Mike Lazarus said requesting proposals for a single ambulance service is ultimately about improving the offerings to county residents.

“We spoke with one expert in the field, and he said it was the same as when we had two hospitals,” Lazarus said. “Both were keeping their doors open, but they weren’t able to expand in the way they needed.”

Having only one service without the competition from the other will allow the single provider to invest in new equipment that they can’t now because they don’t have the volume to support the costs, Lazarus said.

“I wasn’t for this ambulance move at first, but the more I look into it I am leaning toward it,” he said.

In addition to inviting people who are experts in the field to meet with the board in the coming days, Lazarus said he has invited Natchez city officials to attend the bid opening since it will affect them as well.

“When we pass a county ordinance, it is going to cover the city, too, unless they create a separate ambulance district,” he said. “All sorts of cities have adopted their own ordinance, but the ones what have done that did so because the county wouldn’t do it.”

Murray said the county is not obligated to seek proposals from different providers, but wanted to be as fair as possible by allowing the different services to say what they could provide.

The board likely will take the proposals under advisement after they’re opened, Murray said.

“Just because we open them doesn’t mean we are going to have to act right away,” he said. “We are going to make sure we have everything we need to establish a new (ambulance) ordinance for the county before we do, and when we do we are going to do it right.”