The Pardeeville EMS district will officially shut its doors by December 31st, after a majority of the five municipalities that comprise the district voted to dissolve it.
The decision comes following the discovery of significant financial problems, WKOW reports. The district is made up of five municipalities: the Village of Pardeeville and the townships of Scott, Springvale, Wyocena and Marcellon. The four townships have left the district, joining other EMS providers.
Angela Engleman, a board trustee and new EMS chairperson, said the district is currently $885,000 in debt, including money owed to the IRS and the state.
Engleman said the troubles came to light when when two individuals were found living in the EMS building’s rest quarters, one an employee and the other their partner.
“It’s basically a posterchild of how not to run an EMS service. You need to have checks and balances,” Englemen told WKOW.
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating allegations by former employees of potential misconduct and fraud.
