Ambulance Board chairperson to leave in April

After nearly seven years of serving on the Callaway County Ambulance District Board of Directors, chairperson Georgia Ladlie will be leaving when her second term expires in April.

Although she said she has enjoyed her work on the board, Ladlie has taken a new job as an economic consultant in Kansas, and will be moving there soon.

That leaves her spot representing District One open on a board that finds it difficult to find volunteers to serve. Also up for election in April is Bryan Albaugh's District Four seat. Albaugh said he is not certain whether he will return to the board either.

Ladlie, who was appointed to the ambulance board in February 2004, said she first got started with the group because of her experience raising support for the North Callaway R-I School District.

"I was successful in helping get a property tax for the school at a time when they really needed it, and Jim Graveman asked if I would join the board because we were in need of finding a new way to fund the (ambulance) district," Ladlie said. "I helped with getting the (ambulance) district's sales tax passed."

Ladlie - who has served the past four years as the board's chairperson - said she continued to serve after accomplishing that task in April 2005 because "I felt I had a purpose."

To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.