Suspension levied against EMS commander rescinded

Steve Epright was suspended after he e-mailed Commissioner Jim Coletta in September asking for a meeting to discuss the state of EMS. In his e-mail, Epright was critical of county officials for meeting with a private company that was interested in offering EMS services to the county.

County officials met with the company, but later said the company approached them and they had no interest in privatization.

Epright said privatizing EMS services was something that should never be considered and urged Coletta to do everything possible to provide the proper funding for EMS.

"If a new funding source is needed, whether it is an MSTU, dependent special district, or independent special district let's do it, and let us get back to what we do best," Epright said in his e-mail.

That line angered county officials because earlier in the year EMS command staff had been told to stop speculation or references to a Municipal Service Taxing Unit as a funding source for EMS because the county was not proceeding in that direction.

As a commander, Epright is a member of Collier County management, and not represented by the EMS union. Any e-mail to Coletta is public record.

Epright was hit with a suspension for one pay period on Oct. 15. The suspension was scheduled to begin Nov. 17 but Public Services Administrator John Dunnuck said the county administration decided the suspension wasn't necessary.

A letter of reprimand will be put into Epright's file, Dunnuck said.

Attorney Mike Carr, who is representing Epright, said the county's original action was unfair.

"They are punishing him for talking to his county commissioner," Carr said. "You don't give up your right to free speech just because you work for the county."

Dunnuck said the suspension was for insubordination because Epright wrote an e-mail that was public record contradicting the official position of Collier County government.

Epright wasn't being punished for e-mailing Coletta, and any employee of EMS is welcome to contact their elected representatives, Dunnuck said.

"The commissioners have made it very clear that an MSTU isn't going to happen and I didn't want any speculation on it because it isn't going to happen," Dunnuck said.

In the past the county has had to deal with rumors that EMS was going to be funded by an independent MSTU. There has also been talk that the county will try to take over the independent fire districts in Collier County.

Dunnuck said both issues have become distractions.

"We need to concentrate on being the best paramedic service we can be," Dunnuck said. "One thing that is killing us is these rumors that aren't true. We are our own worst enemy when we spread these rumors."

The rumors breed uncertainty that lead to low morale and distrust, he said.

"We've had exit interviews (with people leaving the department) who point to these rumors as a reason for low morale," Dunnuck said.

Carr said he understood the county's policy, but argued that an e-mail to a county commissioner wasn't the same as giving a speech to a group of people.