Commissioner names interim Dove Creek ambulance board after mass resignations, schedules 5 p.m. swearing-in

A Dolores County commissioner announced interim appointments to the Dove Creek Ambulance Board at a special county meeting on Jan. 23, 2026, after a wave of resignations left the district without board members and the ambulance service short-staffed.

The commissioner named Jake Klene, Christina Garcher, Branson Smith and Levera Baxter as interim appointees and said a Dove Creek Ambulance Board meeting will be held at 5 p.m. at the ambulance barn to swear them in, elect officers and begin administrative business. "I was very interested in getting a new board appointed as soon as possible," the commissioner said, adding that "every day matters. Maybe every hour matters."

The announcement followed resignations that began Tuesday and continued into Wednesday, culminating in the resignation of the ambulance chief and multiple providers, the commissioner said. Because of that staffing loss, the medical director restricted operating authority and the final staffed shift ended at midnight on Wednesday. The commissioner said they had confirmed with legal counsel and the Colorado Department of Local Affairs that vacancies on the board may be filled by the remaining director.

The county is also seeking to restore operational capacity through two parallel steps: the new interim board’s formal appointment of an interim chief, and negotiated authority with the district’s medical director, identified in the meeting as Dr. Gretchen. The commissioner said there is a candidate under consideration for interim chief and expressed hope the board would formalize that role quickly so the medical director and chief can determine which services can be restored first. "Once an official interim chief is formalized by the board, we will start having those conversations formally between the medical director and the chief," the commissioner said.

In the near term, the commissioner said Dove Creek is receiving outside coverage: "Southwest is providing coverage for now for Dove Creek and Cortez dispatch is also aware. Clearly that has extended delivery times," the commissioner said. The meeting also noted that Pleasant View Fire will respond to very critical calls to provide immediate on-scene care until a transport ambulance arrives; the fire department is not a transport service.

The commissioner described the appointment process as largely drawn from unsolicited volunteers and prior expressions of interest rather than a formal, lengthy vetting procedure, citing urgency to restore service before the May general election. Appointees were asked repeatedly to confirm their willingness given the "gravity" of the duties, the commissioner said.

The meeting closed after a motion to adjourn was made and seconded and affirmative votes were recorded. The county’s next step is the 5 p.m. ambulance board meeting where appointees will be sworn in and the board will consider electing officers and the interim chief.