East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sid Edwards' push to merge EMS into the city fire department got back on track Monday after it was briefly derailed by a lawsuit.

The Municipal Fire and Police Civil Service Board voted to reclassify Fire Chief Michael Kimble's job, putting him in charge of both agencies. A judge blocked that vote last week after the Baton Rouge EMS Paramedic Association filed a lawsuit.

The association argued the merger is a "money grab" to fix a budget shortfall, and that it would be improper to merge EMS, which serves the whole parish, into the fire department, which operates in the city limits.

Last week, Judge Ron Johnson issued a temporary restraining order blocking the vote. But he dissolved it Monday, clearing the way for the civil service board vote.

“Last w

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