Valley leaders at the Valley Council of Governments instructed their attorney Wednesday on what they hope to find out during an investigation into the region’s paramedic service, Valley Emergency Medical Services (VEMS).
Attorney Thomas Welch will report back to the Valley Council of Governments at its meeting next month.
Welch will review the VEMS bylaws, and weigh in on whether there are ways to improve the structure of the organization.
He will also review whether there are any conflicts of interest on the board. Finally, Welch will review an accident summary report the VEMS Board of Directors presented after an out-of-state accident in a VEMS response truck.
That out-of-state accident prompted the scrutiny from the Valley Council of Governments, which is made up of leaders from Ansonia, Derby, Seymour and Shelton. Each town is charged a fee for paramedic service from VEMS.
The Accident
VEMS board treasurer Madalene Taggart was in a car accident while driving VEMS’s new Ford Expedition on a personal trip back from Virginia on Dec. 21.
Taggart was hit by a tractor trailer truck, while the truck tried to avoid another accident.
Taggart and two passengers escaped injury.
The incident raised concerns among other VEMS board members, who weren’t aware the truck was being taken out of state.
The VEMS board reviewed the use of the truck and found that there weren’t any policies to prevent a board member from using company vehicles -— even on out-of-state personal trips.
Since the review in late December, the VEMS board changed its existing vehicle use policies to include board members.
The board also decided to change its existing practice of putting 2,000 miles on new VEMS trucks before putting them into service. That was the reason the truck was being used in an out-of-state trip.
The board decided not to discipline anyone for the incident.
Valley COG Review
In January, the mayors from Ansonia, Derby and Shelton, as well as the First Selectman from Seymour, held a pow-wow with VEMS leaders to question them on the accident and the VEMS board investigation into it.
In March, the Valley Council of Government board voted to have its attorney research VEMS and report back to them.
On Wednesday, the board detailed their concerns for Welch, so he knew what areas of VEMS to research.
“I think the biggest concern for me was that it seemed like the executive director was not running the operation,” Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller said Wednesday. “If you’re hiring a professional to run your operation, that person should be able to do so.”
Derby Mayor Anthony Staffieri said he wanted to find out if any conflicts of interest exist within the organization.
Welch said he will report back to the board next month on his status.
He already has a copy of the VEMS bylaws and the accident report the VEMS board of directors completed.
In March, VEMS executive director Robert Pettinella said he welcomed the review.
“I would encourage someone to come in and check out everything we have,” Pettinella said last month. “Quite frankly, it will put to rest all the scuttlebutt that’s been going on for years, saying that VEMS is a mystery.”
Past Stories
Valley Leaders Launch Review of VEMS
Valley Leaders Put VEMS On The Hot Seat
VEMS Director: Board Needs To Be Gutted
VEMS Report Raises Questions About Vehicle Crash
