By Cliff Miller
The Capital Times (Madison, Wisconsin)
Copyright 2006 Madison Newspapers, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
COTTAGE GROVE, Wis. — The Deer-Grove Emergency Medical Service divorce has been halted after EMS Chief Jess Robinson was dismissed from his post by the joint EMS Commission.
Neither Robinson nor local officials contacted Monday would provide reasons for his dismissal. He said he is on paid leave of absence and has been temporarily replaced by interim Chief Kim Jack of Stoughton.
The developments unfolded early this month when the joint EMS Commission, comprised of officials of the towns and villages of Cottage Grove and Deerfield, met in closed door session and removed Robinson.
Following that action, Cottage Grove Town Chairman Kris Hampton said, the communities were told at a subsequent meeting by a state official that none of them is ready to start operating separate EMS systems as planned on Jan. 1.
Cathy Etter of the state Bureau of Local Health Support and Emergency Medical Services confirmed Monday that she informed the four communities that they are too far from completing the necessary paperwork to get permission to separate by Jan. 1.
She said it can take her office anywhere from two months to two years to review and approve new EMS systems as required by law.
Etter and Jack said the communities are reconsidering whether to go ahead with the split.
The Cottage Grove town and village boards notified the town and village of Deerfield last December of their intention to form a separate EMS system on Jan. 1, 2007. The four communities have proceeded on that track since then. The Cottage Grove entities agreed recently to purchase a new ambulance.
That action now is “on hold,” according to Jack. “There are negotiations regarding an evaluation” of whether to move ahead toward a split in a year, she said, or to continue the longstanding joint EMS arrangement.
“It’s a very dynamic reevaluation of everybody’s intentions,” she said.