The Augusta Commission came close to ratifying a contract with Gold Cross EMS Tuesday, if the provider gave up the “zone” it fought to own a decade ago. But one commissioner, Bobby Williams, blocked Mayor Garnett Johnson’s ability to break a tie for the deal Johnson helped put together.
The commission agreed on another thing, however, voting unanimously to conduct a work session on the job description for an administrator. The group also went along with community members who turned up in opposition to a proposed subdivision off Manchester Drive, voting 8-2 to postpone acting on it.
Commissioner Sean Frantom called for the workshop after a commission committee voted last week to reduce to six months the amount of time administrator candidates need to apply, which Johnson opposed. The move was intended to encourage interim administrator Takiyah Douse to apply for the job, although the job description permitted comparable experience.
Augusta has been without a permanent administrator for almost a year, since former administrator Odie Donald resigned after 16 months to work in the Atlanta mayor’s office. The commission delayed moving forward with a job search until now.
A vote to approve the six-month requirement failed 4-6 with Williams and commissioners Jordan Johnson, Francine Scott and Tony Lewis voting in favor.
But Scott, Johnson and others agreed with the idea of a workshop, which Scott said needs outside input. “I just think we need to have an outside person or two to come in this workshop,” such as the chamber of commerce, an HR expert or the Association County Commissioners of Georgia, she said.
Commissioner Brandon Garrett agreed and Frantom said the public also needs the opportunity to weigh in.
Williams said the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce “already wants the administrator for have more power.” The group, representing the area’s business community, has advocated for Augusta to centralize management of the government rather than leave it to the array of city department heads who report to the 10-member commission.
General Counsel Wayne Brown said advice should come from someone without an interest in the government, such as the Carl Vinson Institute of Government.
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EMS vote includes city reclaiming zone
The EMS vote followed a more than 20-minute recess in which commissioners, the mayor and staff members huddled in small groups.
Last week, Garrett brought to the table a contract he said Gold Cross agreed to which includes a $1.95 million annual subsidy and a $1.95 million one-time inducement payment. The contract, which is not required, spells out what’s expected of the provider, which has owned all Augusta EMS calls since 2013, when it lobbied the Region 6 EMS Council to award it exclusive access to them.
The contract calls for an ambulance to arrive within 12 minutes of Gold Cross receiving information about the call from Augusta 911 90% of the time when a situation is life-threatening. It requires the company have eight ambulances available at all times and allows Augusta to use software to collect call data.
Williams said as board president of Medical Associates Plus, which provides some indigent care, he would never ask the local government for $2 million. He said Gold Cross is under investigation at the state level and is “not serving the community to the best of its ability.”
His comments were bolstered by an earlier speaker, Richard Jones, who described five incidents in which Gold Cross took more than an hour or simply did not arrive. Gold Cross Vice President Steven Vincent, who spoke at the meeting, did not address the concerns.
Commissioner Alvin Mason said a contract would hold the company accountable, while the cost of providing the service has increased. Gold Cross has cited its increasing expenses and the amount of indigent care it provides in calling for a contract and subsidy.
Vincent said surrendering the zone was as easy as calling the Georgia Department of Public Health. It would leave the zone open for 10 days during which the council could accept new proposals, he said.
The mayor said he’d taken some heat after a campaign promise to restore ownership of the zone to Augusta but believed it to be in the city’s best interest.
Johnson did not get an opportunity to support the decision to approve the contract after it secured yes votes from Frantom, Garrett, Wayne Guilfoyle, Mason and Catherine Smith McKnight. Williams, the last in the commission’s order of voting, abstained, leaving the vote 5-4-1.
Guilfoyle said Gold Cross would likely abandon Augusta as a result, while Williams said the agreement needed further review.
Johnson requested a special called meeting at 1 p.m. Jan. 24 to take it up again.
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Manchester Drive subdivision on hold
Around two dozen people attended the meeting to object to Beazley Development’s plan to build a subdivision of 354 single-family homes off Manchester Drive on a 190-acre tract.
Lewis said he, Richmond County Neighborhood Association Alliance President Gene Lowery and others had met with Beazley officials but still had concerns.
“Nevertheless I think that as Mr. Lowery already stated, we’re at a standstill right now,” Lewis said. “The right development is more important than any type development.”
Augusta Planning Commission had recommended approval but required four entrances into the subdivision based on its size. The plans call a primary entrance on Windsor Spring Road and a secondary entrance on Manchester Drive. Home styles range from around 1,700 to 3,277 square feet on lots 50-80 feet wide.
Joseph Gulino, representing the developer, said he’d only known about concerns beyond the entrance requirements since 11 a.m. Tuesday. Augusta lags neighboring counties in new home permits, and the development will meet a south Richmond County goal of adding homes valued at $300,000 or more, he said.
Williams’ motion to delay the decision passed 8-2 with Mason and Guilfoyle opposed.
Susan McCord is a staff writer with The Augusta Press. Reach her at susan@theaugustapress.com
