The city of Augusta gave up its right to determine which EMS service will be in charge of the Richmond County zone on Friday, Feb. 10 when the necessary paperwork was not filed by the state of Georgia’s deadline.
Several Augusta commissioners created political theater, and headlines, when they refused to attend a special emergency meeting called by Mayor Garnett Johnson on Feb. 10, but emails show there were quite a few efforts going on backstage.
Emails that have been released show that Gold Cross EMS tried in vain to help the city apply for the zone even though the city has done virtually everything in its power to force Gold Cross EMS out as the service provider.
According to Gold Cross Vice President Steven Vincent, his staff spent around seven hours working on the zone application for Augusta. The application requires responses on almost every medical care issue imaginable, from how to deal with heart attack patients to how to properly transport neonatal emergencies.
All of the responses were entered into the application, and all the city of Augusta needed to do was file the application, according to Vincent.
According to the emails, which were sent to interim City Administrator Takiyah Douse, Mayor Garnett Johnson, City Attorney Wayne Brown, Procurement Director Geri Sams as well as all commissioners, Vincent made it clear his company was trying to help the city keep the zone.
All that was needed was for the information to be “cut and pasted” on the application, according to the emails from Vincent.
Vincent says the city ignored his emails, saying and the failure of the Augusta Administrator’s Office to file the documents by the deadline led to the loss of the zone.
It is now up to the Georgia Department of Public Health to award a bid for the Augusta EMS zone.
“I tried my best to help even though Gold Cross only has a month-to-month contract. Keeping the zone for Augusta is what everyone wanted, so while it was not a benefit necessarily for our company, I tried to help the community, and now we see what has happened,” Vincent said.
The entire past year of negotiations with the city has been a humiliating experience, according to Vincent.
While Gold Cross has seen its $1.4 million dollar subsidy for indigent care shrink to roughly $650,000 a year, Vincent says he and his staff have had to deal with negotiations with the city attorney that have been less than pleasant.
Vincent says Wayne Brown likes to let people know that he is in charge of the show.
“In the past, yes, in a meeting, he has pointed his finger at me and told me to ‘watch my mouth,’ when all I did was ask a question,” Vincent said.
Brown has come under scrutiny before over his legal opinions that have landed the city in court on the losing side. He remains defiant when it comes to countering claims by Vincent that he is a bully.
When reached by telephone Sunday, Feb. 12, Brown asked how dare a reporter call him on a Sunday at dinnertime.
“I’m having dinner with my family. I’m not talking to you. No comment, I’ll be back to work tomorrow. No comment,” Brown said and ended the call.
In the meantime, Vincent says that his company remains committed to Augusta and, until further notice, will continue its ambulance service despite the difficulties.
“We are a local business. We all live here This is our community. I am frustrated with what has gone on, frankly, but this is my community and I want the community to know the truth,” Vincent said.
