One position adjusted, two added

The administrative structure of Lawrence County EMS has been restructured, as the county commission adjusted one position, while adding two more and hiring candidates to fill those positions last week.

Lori Morris, who was the EMS fiscal officer, is now the finance administrator, while county EMS employees Mac Yates and Jeff Gaskin were hired as operations administrator and resource and facilities administrator respectively.

Commission President Bill Pratt said the three positions will be equal, and all will have equal say. The position of director was eliminated in the new structure, with current EMS director Buddy Fry retiring next month.

Fry said that while Morris’ position now contains less duties, she is actually going to be responsible for more, due to the 40 percent increase in the agency’s budget following the levy passage in this year’s election.

As operations administrator, Mac Yates, who was previously the EMS personnel supervisor, will be responsible for day-to-day operations, making sure equipment is maintained, sending information to hospitals and scheduling, among other things.

As resource and facilities administrator, Gaskin, who previously served as an EMT in South Point, will be directly involved in the building of new EMS stations, from planning all the way through completion, making sure all of the facilities are in good shape, and other administrative duties.

Yates and Gaskin will together complete interviews, check backgrounds, handle personnel issues and decisions, and make recommendations.

Fry said that all were good choices for the positions, in that Yates had some leadership experience as the personnel supervisor and Gaskin has administrative experience as the current mayor of South Point.

Pratt said that all three positions have a salary of $55,000 a year.