News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Overton County Commissioners concerned about how the county’s ambulance service handles its contracts after learning about a bill for some $9,200.
County Executive Steven Barlow told the commission Monday the ambulance service changed billing systems and received an additional charge from the original company following the switch. Commissioner Gregg Nivens said Overton County EMA Director Chris Masiongale should not have changed contracts because the commission is the only body that can obligate expenditures.
“Got to take them to legal first,” Nivens said. “Now (Chris has) went out past his authority and he’s cost us $9,228 by not looking at the contract and taking it to legal. Now I’ve got a problem with that.”
County Attorney Lillie Ann Sells said she did not see the contract until after the extra fee was added. Sells said Masiongale and his department decided to change systems and coordinated the deal on their own.
“Mr. Masiongale apparently didn’t know that you can’t just stop,” Sells said. “You have to read the contract. A lot of the times, like the sheriff’s office, they’ll send the contract to me if they want to cancel the contract and see. That didn’t happen here.”
Barlow said the first contract automatically renewed every year and the county did not realize it had to opt out of the renewal. Barlow said the county contacted a sales representative from the company and requested to end the contract only to receive the additional fee two months later.
“We had paid the contract in November, well they said it automatically renews in April,” Barlow said. “We don’t know. We ain’t seen the contract.”
Nivens and nine others voted in favor of the budget amendment to pay the fee along with other miscellaneous expenses. Three commissioners voted against the amendment.
In other business, the commission approved a $13,000 bid to purchase an HVAC unit for the ambulance service. The commission also approved the plan to list the property on 207 Taylor Street for sale after the county purchased it due to delinquent taxes.
Commissioners unanimously agreed to pass a resolution requesting the upcoming Tennessee General Assembly to allocate one half of real estate transfer taxes to the county in which they are collected. Commissioners also approved a request to shorten James Kinnard Lane from 0.39 miles to 0.2 miles on the county road list.
