Keller Ambulance & the Colbert E-911 Board

Muscle Shoals wants to use the newly formed Shoals Ambulance Service for the city's primary responder; the Colbert E-911 Board says Keller EMS will remain the designated responder for the entire county. Is there a problem? Is there a solution? Is there an ethics violation?

The dispute has been briefly covered in the TimesDaily, and now The Connection is doing an in depth series on the conflict between Muscle Shoals and the E-911 Board. It promises to be an interesting read, but the words "ethics violation" stand out.

At least one concerned citizen has documented what he believes to be two major conflicts of interest on the E-911 Board. From a Colbert County reader:

* The vice chairman of the 911 board is Kirk Jones. Mr. Jones is a salesman for the radio shop on Jackson Hwy in Sheffield. His company sells thousands of dollars of lights and radios to Keller EMS every year, directly benefiting him financially. I believe the ethics commission should take a hard look at that.

* Dewey King is the chairman of the 911 board. He is the fire chief at Sheffield. Sheffield benefits from Keller EMS being based in his city. I think there may be a conflict of interest there too.

You can read more here: How Do You Spell Monopoly?

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Sadly, there was the predicted light turnout in yesterday's runoff election. If you didn't vote, you have no right to complain...

Shoalanda