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The special meeting and appointment come after previous director, Corey Leniger, resigned on Tuesday.

 

The county commissioners have named the current Athens Station Chief, Rick Callebs, as the interim director.

 

Commissioner Larry Payne says they mainly expect Callebs to improve the channels of communication between the EMS employees, himself and the commissioners.

 

The need for better communication comes after an Athens EMS employee wrote a letter to the public accusing the agency of not keeping up with equipment maintenance.

 

Payne says the employee went about the issue the wrong way and it could have caused issues for citizens.

 

"I think there were some good intentions raised, but just the way that it was brought up was not according to county policy. County policy is he should have gone to the supervisor which would have been station chief and then

the director, then come and informed us commissioners," said Payne. "By going out to the public like that in the letter… we're open for transparency, but that scared people. There might have been seniors who were scared to ride in the squad when there was really nothing wrong with the squad."

 

Applications for the new EMS director will be accepted until May 31.

 

Commissioners says they hope to have a new director named by the end of June.