Richard Lash, of Warren, will serve as Waldoboro’s new Emergency Medical Services director. The Waldoboro Board of Selectmen voted to confirm Lash on Nov. 8.
Lash, currently an employee of the Waldoboro EMS department, is the unanimous recommendation of the interview committee comprising Police Chief Bill Labombarde, Fire Chief Paul Smeltzer, Interim EMS Director Mike Poli and Town Manager John Spear. The team interviewed four candidates and chose two finalists. The second candidate withdrew his application prior to a decision, Spear said.
Lash replaces the town’s previous EMS director, Mike Monk, who resigned earlier this fall.
“[Lash] possesses the unique combination technical and administrative abilities” needed for the position, Spear told the selectmen.
Lash has worked for Waldoboro EMS since 2002 and has served as a supervisor since 2006. He served on the Friendship Ambulance Service from 1996-2004 and was their assistant director, 2001-04. He also served as RSU/MSAD 40 business manager for several years.
Town officials hope Lash will lead the town through a comprehensive review of the emergency medical and fire services in the coming years, in order to develop recommendations for how these services might be run more efficiently.
The town’s job description for the EMS director position states the director must be a certified paramedic, which Lash is not. The selectmen voted to waive that requirement.