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Steve Smith tapped to be new EMS director

Marion EMS volunteer Steve Smith is the new director of Marion County Emergency Medical Services.

The longtime volunteer was chosen Monday by Marion County Commission following a total of 30 minutes of executive sessions to discuss personnel when the commission interviewed Smith for the position.

Former director Larry Larsen presented his immediate resignation at the July 23 commission meeting after six months on the job. Prior to Larsen's appointment and resignation, Darryl Thiesen served as the director for three years before he was terminated in December. Larsen served as interim director until being hired in January.

Gene Winkler, Marion crew captain, currently is serving as interim director. At Monday's meeting, the commission decided to pay Winkler $1,000 per month for approximately three hours of work per day and for being on call as needed for emergencies.

Smith will begin with the county Aug. 27 at a starting salary of $31,000 per year, based on a 40-hour per week schedule. He will receive a $1,000 raise after six months and be evaluated after one year.

In other department business:

— Winkler reported the county saved $2,500 when Alltel replaced analog bag telephones in the five ambulances with new digital phones for $10 each.

— The commission asked Winkler to check with Richard Nickel of The Insurance Center, Hillsboro, regarding insurance for the county's ambulances. For $500 per year, ambulances could be replaced for replacement cost instead of the value of the vehicles at the time of the loss.

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