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Town Seeking MOU with WAA

While an investigation into the Westbrook Ambulance Association (WAA) is ongoing, the Town now looks to keep the association running as smoothly as possible.

Last month, Westbrook residents unanimously approved spending $238,000 to pay off an outstanding mortgage and hire a firm to conduct a forensic audit of the WAA. The move came after the Town became aware of serious allegations of financial mismanagement by former WAA chief Gregg Prevost, including years of not filing tax returns and failure to pay the mortgage at the WAA headquarters property at 1316 Boston Post Road for more than a year.

Prevost has since resigned from his position. Now, the focus of the town leaders had turned to making sure the ambulance association can continue to run.

At a Board of Selectmen meeting on Sept. 10, First Selectman John Hall announced the Town needs to get a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in place on an interim basis to address logistical questions like billing, payroll, and operations of the WAA.

As of press time, no agreement has been signed. Westbrook Town Attorney Tim Herbst declined to discuss what would be in the MOU, citing attorney-client privilege.

Peter Thomas, the chief of service for the WAA, told the Harbor News in a statement that since Prevost’s resignation, the association has continued to operate and has welcomed back old members and new ones.

“Morale has improved since our recent change in management. We have a new open communication policy, and membership is happy to attend Westbrook Ambulance. In the past two months we have received eight applications for membership,” Thomas said.

“The WAA will continue to provide emergency medical services to the town and community of Westbrook. For as our motto goes, neighbor helping neighbor,” he continued.

Ongoing Investigation

At the town meeting on Aug. 22, residents voted to appropriate an amount not to exceed $163,000 to pay off the outstanding mortgage with KeyBank on the WAA headquarters property at 1316 Boston Post Road and an amount not to exceed $75,000 to hire the firm Sansiveri, Kimball & Co., LLP. to conduct a forensic audit of the WAA.

Herbst said the expectation is for the audit to wrap up in a few months, but he added there is a chance the audit reveals information that will require a longer investigation.

“This is something that we want to fix. It should have been fixed years ago, but we’re doing it now,” Herbst said at the meeting.