Newcomerstown rescue squad shuts down as ordered by judge
NEWCOMERSTOWN ‒ The former nonprofit that previously provided the village and nearby townships with fire response and ambulance service has been shut down, according to Mayor Patrick Cadle.
He said the Newcomersown Emergency Rescue Squad, Inc. (NERS) met the court-ordered deadline to cease operations after May 31.
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Why did NERS shut down?
Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court Judge Elizabeth Lehigh Thomakos ordered the organization to stop providing services in response to a lawsuit filed in April by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, which alleges that NERS failed to follow state laws regarding nonprofits. The judge appointed a Columbus attorney as a receiver to protect NERS' assets.
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Receiver Kenneth R Goldberg toured NERS' sites May 20 with Cadle. Goldberg took pictures of the property, Cadle said. The mayor said the locks have been changed on the NERS-owned David Barber Civic Center and the village-owned fire station at 200 S. College St.
Who owns NERS property now?
The state of Ohio now owns all the former NERS assets and has insured them, Cadle said. The receiver's job is to make a list of all the assets and liabilities.
"What you've got to hope is that your assets add up to more than your debts," Cadle said.
Cadle said creditors include people who made deposits for rental of the civic center but may not be able to use it. He said the building may not be available for three or four months, until it is under new ownership.
Yost's lawsuit asks that his office be permitted to give the squad's assets to a similar organization.
Cadle said the village can ask the attorney general's office to lease former NERS property.
What equipment did the squad leave behind?
The mayor said NERS left nine vehicles at the fire department. All are in working order, but need maintenance such as oil changes and lubrication. He said the village would not spend money on that work unless and until it was determined that the village would be able to take ownership of them. They might have to be sold to satisfy debts, he said.
Vehicles in the fire station are three ambulances, a ladder truck, a pumper truck, a rescue truck, a brush truck and two fire engines, according to Cadle. Other vehicles believed to be located around town are one or two boats, a trailer, a van outfitted as an ambulette and an all-terrain vehicle, he said.
Who is responding to calls for help?
The village started its own fire department May 15 to replace NERS. Emergency medical service is provided by the Tri-County Joint Ambulance District.
Oxford and Washington townships in Tuscarawas County have chosen to receive fire response from Newcomerstown, Cadle said. He said Coshocton County's Oxford Township has chosen to receive fire protection from West Lafayette, and Guernsey County's Wheeling Township, has chosen to receive fire protection from the Liberty Community Volunteer Fire Department based in Kimbolton.
What don't we know?
The Newcomerstown Emergency Rescue Squad has yet to file a response in court to Yost's lawsuit. No attorney for the organization is listed in court records.
Reach Nancy at 330-364-8402 or nancy.molnar@timesreporter.com.
On Twitter: @nmolnarTR
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Village fire department and Tri-County replace Newcomerstown squad
