Finally, a way to put the Rescue probe to bed

There’s no question that the long drawn-out probe into allegations of poor management and inconsistent enforcement of SOPs (standard operating procedures) by this town’s Rescue Department was poorly executed.

No one wants to see anything swept under the rug, as two-time selectman candidate Robie Marsters often mused, but to most onlookers, it sure looks like this was done, yet again, in Lebanon in regards to the recently completed probe.

In fact, with the suspension of Rescue volunteer Michael Sabine, who was apparently taken to the woodshed for inappropriate social media comments, it looks like the inconsistency in SOPs are alive and well at Lebanon Rescue

Assistant Rescue Chief Jason Cole was caught red-handed making accusations that a local mowing company was “fleecing” the town, when in fact, the town was happy with the mowing company performance, yet he still leads the department, along with his wife, Rescue Chief Samantha Cole.

Rescue Department volunteer driver Michael Sabine sees a double standard in place: one for most Rescue volunteers, and one for Jason Cole.

The Lebanon Voice believes Board of Selectmen members will follow through in their pledge to make things right for the mowing company, which deserves an apology.

Michael Sabine deserves an explanation as well. He told The Lebanon Voice last weekend he had never received an explanation of why he was put on administrative leave.

He thinks it was because of Facebook comments he made chiding Lebanon Rescue for what he considered to be a poorly executed dispatch call in May.

Perhaps when selectmen address the Coles in executive session in the near future, they can ask them to explain Sabine’s status and what has taken them so long to render a decision in his case instead of just leaving him in limbo for six weeks.

The Lebanon Voice believes these two points will be addressed by the current board.

But what about the investigation that is over, the one into those allegations of a poorly run Rescue Department by those five volunteers who submitted detailed written statements for former selectman Robert Frizzell and town attorney Alan Shepard to consider last October?

After nearly six months and some $5,000 paid to Shepard for his work in the probe at $185 an hour, we don’t even have a report to mull.

According to Selectman Cole, that’s because the report by Frizzell and Shepard found the accusations by the former Rescue volunteers baseless, so there is no report available to the media or anybody else. Cole explained it’s part of the state’s personnel RSAs.

Even with the names redacted, The Lebanon Voice’s Freedom of Information Act request for a copy of the report was denied, likely because officially no report exists because the Cole’s were found innocent, says Selectman Cole.

Frizzell and Assistant Rescue Chief and Selectman Cole had often sought to put the probe to bed, citing the state Attorney General’s office found nothing wrong.

But the Attorney General’s office does not act on inconsistent SOPs; they’re looking for violations of law.

None of the grievances ever suggested Lebanon Rescue was doing anything illegal, just poorly.

This lack of closure frustrates the media and many of the people of Lebanon who want to rest assured a prompt and professionally run town ambulance service is there for them when they need it.

We at The Lebanon Voice applaud and support the many volunteers who sacrifice much of their personal time to help accident victims and those with medical issues who call.

But we also want to know that the department is run fairly and efficiently with uniform enforcement of SOPs and department policy. There’s the rub, people of Lebanon.

To end the legacy of a flawed Rescue probe, Brent Libby, president of the board of Directors of Southern Maine EMS, has offered his organization’s services at no charge to the town of Lebanon.

Selectmen should be able to find the original grievance letters and forward them to Libby. That’s a start.

He, along with Selectmen Chair Karen Gerrish and Selectman Ben Thompson can then interview the five individuals, interview the Coles and a final decision can be rendered.

Gerrish is twice removed from her bitter campaign against Cole in the 2011 selectman’s race. The two have had a working relationship for more than a year. The Lebanon Voice trusts her ability to remain an objective part of the process and believes she should not recuse herself.

Instead of having a political pal and the town attorney investigate the Coles, the town can take advantage of a free assessment by an impartial third party.

Maybe then the town can finally put the Rescue probe to bed once and for all.

Best of all, it’s free.

Are you in, Lebanon?

If you are, call your local selectmen.                                              - HT