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Pender County commissioners approve resolution to install county appointees on Pender EMS board, direct audit and takeover planning
Summary
After heated debate, the Pender County Board of Commissioners voted to declare county-appointed seats on the Pender EMS & Fire board vacant, name three commissioners as interim county appointees, order an independent financial audit and direct staff to prepare a plan for county assumption of EMS/fire operations.
The Pender County Board of Commissioners voted March 10 to install county-appointed representatives on the board of Pender EMS and Fire, order an independent audit of the nonprofit’s finances and direct county staff to prepare a plan to assume control of EMS and fire services if necessary.
The resolution, added to the agenda by a motion earlier in the meeting and debated at length, declares vacant any seats on the Pender EMS and Fire board over which the county exercises appointment power and directs the county manager to “prepare and present to the board of commissioners no later than June 1, 2025, a plan for the county to assume control…” The board approved the resolution with one commissioner opposed.
Supporters said the measures are needed after what they described as resistance by Pender EMS and Fire leadership to provide financial and operational records the county requested while county staff evaluated options for emergency services delivery. At the meeting county attorneys and managers said the resolution is aimed at ensuring continuity of service and fiscal transparency because most Pender EMS revenue comes from county taxpayers.
Opponents and some public commenters warned the timeline in the resolution could create instability for EMS employees and risk disrupting emergency response. Speakers at the meeting urged a more measured, collaborative process that addresses staffing, insurance and service continuity before a legal or operational takeover. Commissioners also debated language in the draft resolution; county attorneys recommended edits to make clear the commissioners would serve as interim county appointees to the nonprofit board, not as a replacement corporate board beyond the county’s appointment authority.
Under the resolution the county manager was directed to oversee an independent audit of the nonprofit’s most recent fiscal year and to report back with an operational plan for assuming countywide EMS and fire responsibilities by Dec. 31, 2025, if required. The resolution also requires that any meetings of Pender EMS and Fire at which county-appointed commissioners serve be properly noticed as public meetings.
The board did not specify an immediate transfer of assets or staff; rather, the action sets deadlines for an audit and a takeover plan and installs county appointees in the interim. County attorneys advised the board that their authority to appoint — and to remove county appointees — is recognized under state law, while clarifying the county cannot unilaterally remove board members who are not county appointees.
The debate lasted more than an hour and drew dozens of public comments, including from EMS board members and residents who urged caution. Several commissioners said their goal is to protect service reliability and fiscal stewardship for taxpayers.
The county manager and county attorney will return to the board with the independent-audit arrangements and the draft plan by the dates required in the resolution.
