Your Feb. 11 editorial, “Vote on the EMS contract,” was a misleading and contradictory account of the issues. Your mix of truth and falsehood is beneath your journalistic responsibility.

IThe volunteer squads want a settlement, and have been frustrated by the former county manager, who was not negotiating in good faith. Revisions to the contract would contain new rules not in the earlier version, and agreements made were placed back in the contract unchanged, like we never discussed it.

Here’s an example: In December, all agreed that the county would purchase the dispatching software, allowing them to track every ambulance, and position them equitably around the county. PMC would not be permitted to “stack” ambulances around volunteer squads. In January, the “stacking” issue was ignored, even after direct assurances from Council Chairman Britt Blackwell.

Dr. Blackwell also assured us that we could have our own medical control physician. Your editorial stated that this would be against state law, but there is no such law.

I haven’t space to detail your numerous innacuracies. But the council, confronted with the loose ends of this contract, voted 5-2 to table it and try again, with both dissenting votes from Rock Hill council members.

In the interim, please urge a place at the table for us at the next negotiation.

Al DePalma

Lake Wylie