County EMS director resigns
Wanda English Burnett - Editor

Scott Melling, Ripley County EMS Director has resigned. He was hired on March 3, 2003, for the position.

A resignation letter from Melling to the Ripley County Commissioners reads in part, "This letter is to officially inform you of my intent to resign immediately as the Ripley County EMS Director. I came here with the hopes of retiring from this system but the constant battle of justifying my every action has taken its toll. The past two and a half years has certainly been challenging."

The letter was given to Robert Reiners, president of the Ripley County Commissioners on Monday, August 8, with a copy sent to Nancy Marticke at Margaret Mary Community Hospital, and the county's attorney, Neil Comer.

Melling further wrote, "I realize that it is customary to provide two business weeks notice, however recent events have made it clear to me that an association with Ripley County is no longer beneficial."

According to Commissioner Reiners, the matter will be further discussed at the next commissioners meeting, which is set for Monday, August 15.

Reiners was not surprised at the resignation and noted that there have been problems leading up to it. He further noted that the paramedic service in place is "alive and running." In other words, the paramedics will continue to run as usual, while the structure of the program gets another look.

Funding for the paramedic program has been an issue discussed at several council and commissioner meetings this year. Reiners said it is his personal desire to keep the paramedic unit running and hopes to find funding for the worthwhile program. He has been in contact with Ms. Marticke from MMCH, who in part funded the salary of Melling.

In a Commissioner's meeting on August 1, Melling told Reiners he would not be taking any paramedics runs, that he was hired as an administrator, not a street person.

Other controversy surrounding Melling included the fact he had moved out of state recently and the hours he worked he felt were in question. At the August 1, meeting, Melling provided a detailed outline of his hours including vacation time. He also addressed the issue of his move, saying, "my decision to move my family close to my wife's employment is nobody's business." At that time he submitted a letter to the commissioners saying, "it is my intention to continue commuting from the Cincinnati area to Ripley County.

Melling's letter of resignation came exactly one week after the meeting, on August 8.

"This letter is to officially inform you of my intention to resign immediately as the Ripley County EMS Director." Scott Melling