BAKERSVILLE — Mitchell County’s EMS contract with Watauga Medics has been finalized and approved by both parties pending one minor change regarding the hiring of paramedics.
The Mitchell County Board of Commissioners at its regular meeting on Monday, April 5 discussed the contract that the commissioners and Watauga Medics Director Craig Sullivan have spent the past several weeks reviewing.
County Manager Tim Greene said Sullivan came back with just one suggested change— if he does not have enough paramedics hired by the proposed start date of the new contract in Mitchell County which would be over the summer, he would like an allowance for hiring some EMTs until paramedics can be found.
Board Chair Matthew “Vern” Grindstaff expressed his concern for the contract not containing verbiage on how long Sullivan would have to hire paramedics. He asked the board about defining what a “reasonable amount of time” to hire them would be.
“I just don’t want to leave it totally open-ended,” Grindstaff said.
Commissioner Brandon Pittman suggested amending the contract to say that Sullivan will have a reasonable time not exceeding six months to hire paramedics. If it takes longer, the county and Sullivan can work out an extension, if needed.
County Attorney Lloyd Hise said he would make the change regarding the timeframe for paramedic hires and added that the contract also contains verbiage that regular maintenance that costs under $500 will be the responsibility of Watauga Medics but anything over that amount will fall on the county.
The board also had a lengthy discussion over the Medical Director role and who hires and pays the individual.
Finance Officer Mavis Parsley said historically, the county has not paid the Medical Director. Instead, the company the county contracts with pays the individual, she added.
Hise called EMS and the Medical Director “two separate horses” and advised the board that they could ask Sullivan to hire a Medical Director but he would likely respond by saying he doesn’t hire the individual.
Pittman said a discussion on the Medical Director role should be added to the agenda for an upcoming meeting for further discussion.
The board agreed with Pittman and also gave Hise the green light to amend the contract with the changes regarding paramedic hires.
Grindstaff will sign the contract once Hise makes the change.