|
By Bob Weaver
Former Wirt County OES Director Bo Wriston was fired a few weeks ago by the Wirt County Commission, without giving a public reason for his sudden dismissal.
After some citizens expressed outrage over Wriston's firing, commissioners told the Wirt County Journal that he was fired because of failing to submit paperwork that helped fund his position.
Commissioners said that Wriston was told several times to file the paperwork to receive $10,000 in state funding for his salary.
The commission provided another $10,000 in matching money for the job, with commissioners saying they had to fund the entire amount within a tight county budget.
Commissioner Bob Gunnoe told the Journal, "I'm not sure where you work, but if you cost your company $20,000, how long do you thing you'd be working there?"
Wriston, a former employee of the defunct Calhoun EMS, reportedly purchased ambulances, equipment and supplies owned by the agency at a price yet to be disclosed.
Calhoun commissioners, not saying that Wriston did anything illegal, are continuing to try and get records from the former agency regarding the disposition of assets, the collection of money owed the agency, and what payments have been made to creditors.
Calhoun Commission president Chip Westfall said the information needs to be made available to Calhoun taxpayers.
Taxpayers, through an Emergency Services Levy, helped fund the former service for years, and at times the commission used taxpayer money to purchase specific equipment needed for the operation.
In addition, the county itself is an owed creditor, trying to help the service by loaning interest free money to keep the agency up-to-date.
So far, the defunct EMS has stonewalled numerous efforts made by the commission, but Tim LaFon, a Charleston attorney hired by Calhoun EMS, has told Calhoun Prosecutor Shannon Johnson he will provide the information.
Prior to the closing of the former EMS, the commission was advised they were not entitled to financial information by that agency.
Calhoun EMS officials, before the closing, told WCHS-TV news that the commission's accountability actions were purely political.
| 
