MUNCIE, IN — The Delaware County commissioners have fired the executive director of the county’s emergency management agency and hired his successor.
The commissioners — Republicans Stephen Brand, Shannon Henry and Sherry Riggin — did not discuss their specific reasons for firing EMA Director John Coutinho. In fact, they didn’t mention Coutinho by name at Monday’s meeting.
On March 24, they had suspended Coutinho with pay, pending completion of an internal investigation.
“Everyone knows there’s been an investigation going on with the county that did involve charges filed,” commissioner Henry said at Monday’s meeting.
On June 10, he said, the emergency management advisory council met and returned a vote of no confidence for Coutinho. The council also requested the “removal” of Coutinho from the “executive position,” Henry said.
The commissioners voted 3-0 to fire Coutinho and replace him with the EMA’s deputy director, Cory Kissick.
“Mr. Kissick is very qualified for that,” Henry said. “He’s been running that department exceptionally well since March.”
On June 3, Coutinho’s wife, 42-year-old Meagan Rachelle Coutinho, was arrested by Indiana State Police, who alleged she had committed theft, official misconduct and conflict of interest while employed as office manager for Delaware County EMS.
The Albany resident is accused of stealing money between July 2021 and February 2026. Meagan Coutinho allegedly submitted unauthorized claims for 5,872 hours of overtime, resulting in her being paid $181,749.93.
She is also accused of using an EMS credit union account to pay for her personal expenses, including credit card purchases and utility payments.
Delaware County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman’s office is expected to file formal charges in that case, although those counts had not yet been filed as of Monday.
Kissick appeared before the commissioners on Monday to discuss damage caused by severe thunderstorms on the evening of June 11. The new EMA director said the damage had been caused by straight-line winds of up to 80 mph.
Douglas Walker is a news reporter for The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Delaware County commissioners fire EMA director, promote his successor
Reporting by Douglas Walker, Muncie Star Press / Muncie Star Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Douglas Walker, Muncie Star Press | USA TODAY Network
