Dolores County commissioner appoints interim board for Dove Creek ambulance district after mass resignations

A Dolores County commissioner on Jan. 23 announced four interim appointees to the Dove Creek Ambulance District board after multiple recent resignations left the district without enough staff to operate.

The commissioner named Jake Klene, Christina Garcher, Branson Smith and Levera Baxter as interim directors and said a 5:00 p.m. ambulance board meeting would swear in the appointees, elect officers and begin administrative work. "I was very interested in getting a new board appointed as soon as possible ... every day matters. Maybe every hour matters," the commissioner said, explaining the decision to prioritize timeliness over a longer vetting process.

Why it matters: The district temporarily lost sufficient providers and local supervision after a string of resignations and the ambulance chief's departure, forcing the medical director to restrict operating authority. That restriction and the loss of staff left Dove Creek relying on neighboring jurisdictions for emergency responses, increasing response times and prompting urgent local action.

The commissioner described how resignations began earlier in the week and culminated with the final board member (other than the appointing commissioner) and several providers stepping down. The speaker said the resignations left the district unable to meet medical-director requirements for safe operation until an interim chief and board are in place.

"There were numerous people expressing interest," the commissioner said, noting appointees were mostly unsolicited volunteers who agreed to step up. The appointments are interim; the commissioner said the regular election in May will provide an opportunity for voters to select future board members.

Temporary service arrangements are in place while the district restores capacity. The commissioner said Southwest is providing ambulance coverage for Dove Creek and that Cortez dispatch is handling overnight calls; those arrangements have extended delivery times. A speaker from Pleasant View Fire added that the fire department will respond to critical calls to provide on-scene support, though it is not a transport ambulance.

The commissioner said the new board is expected to consider an interim chief that evening and to work with the medical director to restore operating authority incrementally. The medical director was described as remaining in the role and, according to the commissioner, has not indicated an intent to resign; the speaker said there are clauses that require required notice before a medical director steps down.

The special meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn that was approved by voice vote. The immediate next step is the scheduled 5:00 p.m. ambulance board meeting, where appointees will be sworn in and the board will address officer elections and operational decisions intended to return ambulance service to Dove Creek on an incremental basis.