Editor's note: This version corrects the vacancies that were filled.

Groton – Members of the Groton Ambulance Association elected a new slate of officers at a special meeting Monday, replacing its longstanding president and filling several vacancies.

Steve Christina won the presidency by a 27-7 vote, defeating current president George Timothy Law, who has led the nonprofit group for 10 years. Christina served as the board’s president and vice president from the early 1980s through the early 1990s and has volunteered with the ambulance association for 40 years. Before the vote, he said he would work to restore the organization if he returned to a leadership role.

“I’ll look at the finances, the management, the personnel and the community involvement,” he said.

The special meeting was called by a petition signed by 15 members after the state Office of the Attorney General said last week said it was opening an inquiry into the use of charitable funds by the ambulance association. The association paid its office manager $134,276, according to the most recent tax filing, and previously allowed her and the former vice president to borrow money without written agreements, according to federal tax records.

Law, however, said last week that the organization did require employees to sign paperwork if they borrowed money, and that the debt was paid back through payroll deductions.

Groton Ambulance provides ambulance service to about two-thirds of Groton, including the city of Groton and much of the town.

Before the vote, Law noted that the gathering of 34 members was “the largest he’s ever seen” for a meeting in his 10 years as president, and he urged the group to “take with a grain of salt” what they’ve been reading and hearing about the attorney general’s inquiry.

“Everyone’s worried about the finances, and everyone’s worried about jobs and maintaining good services,” he said. “How do you do that with the limited staffing we have?”

He said the service responds to about 4,000 calls annually, more than similar organizations with budgets its size. Groton Ambulance reported income of $1.63 million in its 2013 filing and spent about $1.82 million.

“I’m not going to speak about the finances at this point, other than to say that there is a plan for that,” he said. “I’m just asking you to consider all the time I’ve put into this place.”

Law commended Christina for being willing to take over the organization, saying he would “make a good leader.”

After the vote for president, the group voted to fill vacancies in the vice president, treasurer and training officer slots. Law was among candidates for vice president and secretary and but was not chosen for either. Instead, Brian Elias was elected vice president and Jill Dreesman, an emergency medical technician who resigned her paid position Monday night to run for secretary, was chosen for the position. Juliet Hodge was chosen as the new training officer.

Devin Weaver, the current secretary, was elected as treasurer. Elected as directors at large were Christopher Dunn and Amanda Chaffee, both filling vacancies.

j.benson@theday.com

Twitter: @BensonJudy