Millan named as EMS director
By Melinda L. Lucas
Local paramedic Mateo Millan was offered and accepted the position of EMS director after members of the Shackelford County Hospital District’s board of directors met in closed session for about 30 minutes Monday night, April 18.
Mike Folsom made the motion to employ Millan as permanent director, seconded by Janna Ledbetter. The four directors present were all in favor of the motion. John Peterson had been in the closed session, but had to leave for another engagement before the vote was taken.
Millan has been acting as interim director since April 1, but had stipulated after meeting with the board on March 27 that he would not accept the position permanently or even serve temporarily if it meant that he could not take emergency calls as an active paramedic.
Ledbetter and board president Jo Ann Estridge both checked with the Labor Board after the March 27 session to make sure that an EMS director could legally continue employment as an active paramedic within the ambulance.
After a Labor Board visit a couple of years ago, former EMS director Tina Ulbrich and several board members had understood that the director could not be on the ambulance schedule and could only “fill in” when no one else was available.
However, it was learned last week that there are no legal issues with an EMS director also taking emergency calls as a medic.
Millan, who also spoke with the Labor Board representative last week, felt that he could perform most of his duties while on regular shift, but might need to log in sometimes for additional hours.
Nursing Manager
Shauna Loftis, who has been a nurse at the Shackelford County Health Clinic for almost 12 years, was promoted to the new role of nursing manager at Monday’s session.
The idea had been discussed at a previous meeting, but now that Brandi Green has been employed as district administrator and continues doing the job of clinic office manager as well, it was decided that Loftis could take over the nursing portion of those duties.
The next regular meeting was set for May 18 because of a conflict on the usual third Monday.
