OVERTON COUNTY – In light of recent flooding disasters, like those we witnessed in Texas and in East Tennessee, emergency preparedness is getting a closer look in communities all over the country. Things are no different in Overton County, where citizens are hoping to find a qualified director to manage their ambulance services. The last Ambulance Services Director retired in 2024. In Overton County, the Ambulance Services Director is appointed by the County Executive and confirmed by the County Commission. In February of 2025, the County Executive, Steven Barlow, thought he had the position filled. He appointed Chris Masiongale.
Masiongale had a fair amount of support from within the community, and staff of the EMS were quite fond of him (possibly because of his ability to find loopholes that benefit employees). With over 20 years in emergency response experience, he was also qualified.
Ultimately, the Commission said they would confirm the appointment, but they had one stipulation: Mr. Masiongale would need to quit his current job; he had planned to keep both. The available position for Ambulance Services Director is a full-time position. Thee available position requires managing all of the medical response, transportation and pre-hospital care for all of Overton County.
Mr. Masiongale is already serving as the Director of the Overton/Pickett County 9-1-1 Center. On their website, the Overton/Pickett 9-1-1 Center boasts:
“Our communications center is unique in that we are the only consolidated 9‑1‑1 center in the State of Tennessee. We proudly serve both Overton and Pickett County. Along with being the PSAP for Overton and Pickett, we also handle dispatch operations for EMS and Fire for both counties. In addition, we dispatch for the Overton County Sheriff’s Department and the Overton County Rescue Squad.“
Both jobs are full-time positions of the highest level, and though legally allowable, the commissioners and citizens both felt the obligation of a Director was one that required the individual’s undivided attention.
Mr. Masiongale declined the stipulation, and instead stayed on as an “Interim Director” in a part-time capacity while maintaining his employment with the Overton/Pickett 9-1-1 Center.
In the February 2025 meeting, the commission directed the County Executive, Steven Barlow, to publish the job listing in multiple publications, including the Herald Citizen and the Tennessean. The goal was to provide for a larger and more qualified candidate pool for the Director’s position than you might have only listing the job locally.
In March, there was a dispute over the wording of the resolution and the minutes for the February meeting were not approved. This meant there could be no misunderstanding after March 10 as to what was expected.
It’s now been 140 days since it was clarified to Executive Barlow that advertisements were to be placed in the Herald Citizen & the Tennessean. According to our records requests, those ads have still not been placed.
An ad was eventually run in the local paper in July, but when we requested invoices for any other ads we were told none existed.
Executive Barlow also has an assistant because of his vast workload. That assistant is Chris Masiongale’s relative. (continued below)
According to a 2024 Comptroller’s publication, the Overton County Executive, Steven Barlow, makes over $100,000 annually. We are not certain what expectations are listed in the job description, but generally someone earning a six-figure salary, who also has an assistant, would be expected to produce results much quicker.
The Ambulance Services Director is allocated a budget of $85,000+ according to that same publication, though this likely includes other costs associated with employment and not just direct salary. Citizens feel the position offers enough benefits to attract candidates, if only the job were to be advertised as instructed.
Over a week after we submitted our request for invoices, Barlow spoke about the position to another local news agency, UC Now. UC Now quoted Executive Barlow as having said “this time it may be tough to find someone to fill the position,” and according to the publication “Barlow said he is in no rush to hire a new director.“
Disgusted with the effort by Executive Barlow, one Overton County citizen took matters into his own hands. Scott Deatherage took to the comments section on our podcast, the Patriot Punkcast and offered the job to a stranger! Of course Mr. Deatherage is not in a position to make an actual offer, but the effort is admirable.
Our guest, Darryl Cleveland, was a First Responder at 9/11 and during Hurricane Katrina, and Scott decided he’d ask him to apply for the position. Though Darryl declined the offer, he asked me to follow up for a few of his friends.
Long story short, two new candidates have expressed interest in the position and at least one application has been submitted as a result of Mr. Deatherage’s efforts. Scott still expects Executive Barlow to place the ads he was instructed to place over 4 months ago, but says he was tired of waiting.
Additional information about the 2018 Comptroller’s Investigation into the Overton/Pickett County 9-1-1 Center can be found here.
Applications for the Ambulance Services Director position can be submitted to Executive Barlow at overtonexec@twlakes.net.
