The Rock Township Ambulance District has had its fair share of controversy over the last couple of years.
After the district’s longtime chief, Margie Sammons, abruptly retired in late September 2016 after 28 years, three of the six board members resigned – Steve Ott, who served 15 years on the board; Don Wieland, who had 14 years of board service; and Anita Clark, who served four years.
Because the remaining two members could not conduct business on their own, Jefferson County Executive Ken Waller appointed three replacement members, who were approved by the County Council – Cathy Wooldridge, Frank Kutilek Jr. and Mark Paul. Kutilek was on the district’s original board in 1980 and was its chairman for 10 years.
Wooldrige, who replaced Ott, was elected to a full three-year term.
Now, on April 3, voters will decide whether to retain the other two appointees, Kutilek and Paul, for the final two years of the seats originally held by Clark and Wieland, or choose new members – Paul D. Horn, who has served two previous terms on the board from 1995-2001, and Avery A. Fortenberry.
The district’s new chief, Jerry Appleton, said board members each year vote not to accept any payment for their duties.
KUTILEK, 76, lives at 31 Anthony Court, Arnold. He and his wife, Betty, have had two sons and have two grandchildren. A retired general construction estimator, he also has been a member of the Public Water Supply District No. 1 board. He is involved with various committees at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, is a member of the Elks and the American Society of Professional Estimators. He has previously been involved with the Construction Specifications Institute, Engineers Club of St. Louis, Associated General Contractors of St. Louis, Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Arnold and the Jefferson County Economic Development Corp.
PAUL, 38, lives at 5461 Regency Woods Manor, Imperial. He and his wife, Michelle, have two children. He is an operations manager for a small company in St. Louis. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from MissouriBaptistUniversity. He served as the RepublicanImperialTownship committeeman from 2012-2016.
HORN, 62, lists his address as P.O. Box 203Arnold. He and his wife, Teresa, have two children and four granddaughters. He is a retired custodian for the Fox C-6 School district and also worked as an emergency room technician. In addition to his previous tenure on the RockTownship board, he also was a member of the board of the St. Francois County Ambulance District and was a volunteer firefighter for the Leadwood Fire Department.
FORTENBERRY, 71, lives at 6604 Crimson Lane, Barnhart. He and his wife, Jann, have four children and six grandchildren. He owns Avery Contracting LLC, which is involved in business management and property ownership, and previously was a global account executive for the Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. and AT&T. He received a bachelor’s degree in business management with a minor in communications from MaryvilleUniversity in 1982. He is a member of the county’s Planning and Zoning Commission and Board of Zoning Adjustment. He was on the Board of Directors of the Festus Special Road District from 2005-2007 and served for four years on the Jefferson County Extension Service board.
Fortenberry has been involved in various capacities in the past with Jefferson County Habitat for Humanity, Ride On St. Louis, the JudevineCenter for Autism, the Writers Society of Jefferson County, United Way and numerous subdivision boards.
He also is running in the April 3 election for boards governing Jefferson County 911 Dispatch, the Fox C-6 School District and the Antonia Fire Protection District.
What are the biggest problems facing the district and how would you address them?
Kutilek: Put one more ambulance in service and fully staffed 24-7. This is anticipated to start in early March. Continue to improve our service through training and updating as technology progresses. Working as a board, provide all that is needed to keep us as the top-tier service that we have always been.
Paul: The district, along with other government entities, struggles with the rapid growth of the county while at the same time having to face budget limits due to the decreasing sales tax revenue. To deal with these issues, we have worked hard to trim expenses by looking at each line of the budget every year. We have made some painful cuts as well as some obvious ones. Due to the hard work of the administration, board and employees, we have been able to maintain and even increase certain levels of service.
Horn: Transparency and fiscal responsibility. The board has held more closed sessions in the past 16 months than in the previous five years. Taxpayers, voters and employees should never be kept in the dark. The board now allows administrators to use district vehicles to travel more than 120 miles a day to and from work. They hired a second accountant to review the work of their first accountant. They have two lawyers attending meetings. They hired a second assistant administrator and now have three people doing what one person used to do.
Fortenberry: Make improvements in staffing, timely calls and to assure that all medications are up to date and accounted for. The fiscal and management mess at the district needs to be cleaned up. The district spent $5 million for one ambulance building and outdated drug issues in the ambulances is a mess. This isn’t what your tax dollars should be paying for. I want to provide a conservative voice and be advocate for the public.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Kutilek: I was a founding member of the ambulance district and been involved with the district since its creation in one capacity or another. My involvement began, when as a volunteer fireman for Rock Community Fire Protection District, I was asked to be part of the committee to form the district in 1979.
Paul: I do not take my position for granted. I love serving the community and even thought this is a small part I am proud to do. When appointed in 2016, the district was in shaky condition, three board members resigned and the chief departed as well. The entire board and administration has worked very hard over the past year and a half to restore the confidence of the voters and employees in the board and administration. We strive to be the most open and transparent government entity in the county.
Horn: If elected, I will bring experience and guidance to this board and vote to keep meetings open and to get costs in line. Our paramedics should be treated fairly and honestly. District policies and procedures should apply to everyone and I will work to ensure this happens. I will follow the Sunshine Law and check the financials to make sure that we can meet our obligations. I will work to be prepared for the outcome of the TIF lawsuit between Arnold and the district. I will not avoid this or other issues.
Fortenberry: I would work to prevent paying $5 million for one ambulance building and to improve outdated drug issues in the ambulances.