The North Coast Emergency Medical Services (NCEMS), Joint Powers Authority conducted its quarterly meeting in Eureka, last week. Up for agenda review was an update of the Del Norte Ambulance Exclusive Operating Area permit, including the appointment of a member of the Del Norte Board of Supervisors to the Ad Hoc Emergency Ambulance Competitive Bid Committee.Despite the consultant EndPoint recommending not to include a member of the DN Board to serve on this Ad Hoc, NCEMS Del Norte Supervisor Darrin Short nominated himself to sit on the Committee. #placement_573654_0_i{width:100%;max-width:550px;margin:0 auto;}var rnd = window.rnd || Math.floor(Math.random()*10e6);var pid573654 = window.pid573654 || rnd;var plc573654 = window.plc573654 || 0;var abkw = window.abkw || '';var absrc = 'https://ads.empowerlocal.co/adserve/;ID=181918;size=0x0;setID=573654;type=js;sw='+screen.width+';sh='+screen.height+';spr='+window.devicePixelRatio+';kw='+abkw+';pid='+pid573654+';place='+(plc573654++)+';rnd='+rnd+';click=CLICK_MACRO_PLACEHOLDER';var _absrc = absrc.split("type=js"); absrc = _absrc[0] + 'type=js;referrer=' + encodeURIComponent(document.location.href) + _absrc[1];document.write('');The self-serving motion was seconded by Lake County and an AYE vote from Humboldt County.The apparent self-imposed conflict of interest allows Short to report (and suggest) to his colleagues the NCEMS position on supplanting Del Norte Ambulance for another service, two and a half years down the road.First District Supervisor Short was the original driving force seeking other ambulance proposals.Del Norte Ambulance has served 9-1-1 Emergency service for over four decades, with virtually no complaints and zero serious complaints.The cost to consider the Request for Proposal is estimated to be in excess of $150,000 of which $97,000 has already been allocated to EndPoint Consultants.The funds to conduct the RFP are being provided by the Del Norte Dept. of Health and Human Services Emergency Fund. DHHS has yet to make public the nature or rationale of status of such Emergency on Del Norte Ambulance’s track record.The vote to move forward the RFP was 3-2, with NO votes coming from Supervisors Dean Wilson and Chris Howard and AYE votes from Supervisors Short, Valerie Starkey and Joey Borges. Supervisor Starkey was on hand as an observer with no voting status on the North Coast EMS, via ZOOM, and supported Short’s self-nomination to the Ad Hoc Committee. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('ad-1515727'); });