Getting a new contractor for emergency medical services in Greene County is being moved up on county board chair John Muir’s priority list.
Muir took having Jefferson city administrator Mike Palmer at the meeting to tell him he had spoken with Jefferson mayor Craig Berry and that Berry seemed “receptive” to the idea of participating in a joint effort to secure EMS. Muir and Berry decided the best way to approach the other towns in the county would be to attend a mayors’ meeting, rather than talking with each city council separately.
“We need to get started working on that pretty seriously. That’s our next goal,” Muir told Palmer.
Later in the meeting Muir said the board would be “kicking it into another gear” on EMS.
Muir and supervisor Peter Bardole are working to find the next ambulance operator as longtime operator Dennis Morlan wants to retire. Muir and Bardole hope county towns will participate in funding the cost of the EMS contract to make it an attractive, viable contract that would allow for salaries and benefits that would attract employees.
Assistant county attorney Thomas Laehn reported county attorney Nic Martino has received three applications for the position of assistant county attorney. Laehn was elected as county attorney and will vacate the position of assistant. All three applicants are qualified candidates, Laehn said.
Interviews will be scheduled next week.
The supervisors discussed a challenge in the change of health care plans. Military veterans who have Tricare insurance are not able to use an HAS, giving them only one choice in insurance when the new plan goes into effect. The supervisors will research what other employers have done in that situation.
