(Le Mars) — The Le Mars City Council chambers was standing room only as people gathered to see the outcome of the naming of the new Le Mars Ambulance Director. Many of the people were there to show support for Greg Gengler, the Assistant Ambulance Director. Six people approached the podium to offer testimonials supporting Greg Gengler. Councilman Rex Knapp voiced his opinion and said he would go against the recommendation of the Public Safety Committee decision, and would throw his support behind Greg Gengler.
Councilman Clark Goodchild was scolding those Le Mars EMT’s who have quit, and walked away from their positions. Goodchild reminded the gathering that when the city was searching for a new police chief, there were some applicants that had a higher rank than Kevin Vande Vegte, and they were not selected, but there were no police officers that had quit due to the naming
of Kevin Vande Vegte as the new police chief. Goodchild suggested the EMT volunteers to give the new director, who ever that would be, a chance.
Goodchild also made the motion to not follow the Public Safety Committee’s recommendation, and to instead name Greg Gengler as the new Director of the Le Mars Ambulance Services. The motion by Goodchild failed on a 3 to 2 vote. Councilman Ken Nelson then offered the motion of the recommendation
to have Assistant Fire Chief Mike Wise named as the new Director of the Le Mars Ambulance Service. The vote passed 3 to 2 with Nelson, Wick, and Donlin voting affirmative, and Goodchild and Knapp voting against having Mike Wise as the appointed ambulance director. Of the six people who spoke,
five were from neighboring communities from Merrill and Remsen. Three are volunteer EMT’s. Following the vote, Greg Gengler then approached the podium to announce that he would no longer continue as the Assistant Ambulance Director. He encouraged his fellow EMT volunteers to “keep the team going, and informed his colleagues that “we’re a team.” Le Mars Fire and Rescue Chief Dave Schipper, who was absent during the voting of the new director due to responding to an emergency accident, thanked Mike Wise for his service as the Assistant Fire Chief. Schipper says Wise has done an “outstanding job” for the city, and he will continue to do an outstanding job in his new position.
Near the end of the council meeting, Mike Wise was then invited to the podium. He thanked the council members for their approval and support, and promised he would visit with the Le Mars Ambulance Service volunteers, and he assured the community, he would work hard on their behalf.
