The Monroe County Board meeting Monday morning was a scene of irony.

On one hand, the commissioners endorsed a proclamation observing May 17-23 as Emergency Medical Services Week. The same meeting was dominated by the opening round of controversy over a possible move to contract ambulance services with Community Health Systems, which owns Red Bud Regional Hospital and 198 other medical facilities in 29 states.

A combination of word-of-mouth and social media generated a crowd that required moving the board meeting from its usual location to the adjacent, much larger old courtroom.

Several current employees of Monroe County EMS and numerous citizens offered negative comments about the proposal, including an accusation that commissioners were trying to cover up the plans.

Commissioners assured those in attendance that no decision on the future of ambulance service has been made…

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