Valley Leaders Put VEMS On The Hot Seat

The leaders of four Valley towns Tuesday probed an out-of-state car accident involving a paramedic truck that was being used for a private trip in December.

The mayors from Ansonia, Derby and Shelton, as well as the First Selectman in Seymour, said they wanted more information about the accident and the response of the Valley Emergency Medical Services (VEMS) board, which oversees regional paramedic services in Valley.

The meeting was the first time VEMS had to answer questions about the vehicle accident from an external group in a public setting.

The mayors and first selectman were acting in their official capacity as the board of the Valley Council of Governments, which oversees regional planning policy in the Valley. 

They don’t have any direct authority over VEMS. Their potential power is in money: Each town is billed $30,000 a year to help VEMS operate. 

Derby has refused to pay that $30,000 over the past six years because of concerns with transparency at VEMS. The other towns have paid — and VEMS relies on that money to continue operating. 

PHOTO: Jodie Mozdzer

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. In addition, an internal VEMS probe that indicated Jerry Schwab — president of the VEMS Board of Directors and Taggart’s son — was very concerned about keeping news of the crash from going public.

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, Schwab said. 

The board decided not to discipline anyone for the incident.

Valley Leaders React

During the questioning, the Valley leaders stressed that they are happy with the actual work VEMS does on the ground. Their concerns rest with the Board of Directors and their oversight of VEMS.

Derby Mayor Anthony Staffieri, who has been outspoken in his criticism of the VEMS leaders, questioned the policy VEMS had for putting 2,000 non-service miles on a new truck. 

PHOTO: Jodie Mozdzer“I was taken aback because it’s an excuse that is not acceptable,” Staffieri said.

Staffieri also questioned the internal review by VEMS leaders into the matter. 

“It was wrong, and I think that an internal board of the same board shouldn’t have done an investigation,” Staffieri said. ​“An outside board should have been brought in, whether it was having the mayors or corporation counsel look into the matter and come up with a decision.”

Noreen McGorty, the second-vice president for the VEMS board, said the board members completing the review asked tough questions and worked together to evaluate the accident. She said the review has prompted changes in some policies at VEMS.

“We recognize as (VEMS) evolved, some of the policies have not evolved along with the organization. As a result of this we have enhanced some of the policies,” McGorty said. 

Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller questioned why the VEMS board was so heavily involved, when VEMS Executive Director Robert Pettinella is paid to oversee situations like vehicle use. 

The answer — because a VEMS board member , not a VEMS employee, was using the truck. 

They also asked who paid for the gas for the out-of-state trip and who paid for the damage.

Answers, according to VEMS Board president Jerry Schwab: Taggart paid for the gas. The damage was paid through insurance from the tractor trailer truck, which was at fault for the accident. 

The questioning led to a broader conversation about how VEMS — specifically the 13-member board of directors — operates.

The board is sometimes referred to as ​“dysfunctional” because of the varying competing interests and in-fighting. 

PHOTO: Jodie MozdzerExecutive Director Robert Pettinella has said he thinks the board should be gutted and recreated with members of the community who aren’t directly involved in emergency services in the Valley. 

Schwab on Tuesday echoed that point during the discussion.

“We are looking to modify the bylaws in a way that would basically remove all of us,” Schwab said. ​“Those are still pending before us. We haven’t voted on those changes.”

The Valley COG board didn’t take any action during the meeting Tuesday, which seemed to more like a fact-finding session.

Ansonia Mayor James Della Volpe said the Valley Council of Governments would likely discuss VEMS at its next meeting on Feb. 8. But he wouldn’t say what specifically they would talk about — other than general ​“VEMS operations.”

Click the link to read past stories on the issue:

VEMS Director: Board Needs To Be Gutted

Valley Leaders Request VEMS Meeting

VEMS Report Raises Questions About Crash

No Discipline After VEMS Accident

VEMS Probes Out-Of-State Accident, Vehicle Use

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