‘They want to find solutions’: Augusta, Gold Cross partnership still unconfirmed

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Things are still up in the air when it comes to Augusta and its partnership with Gold Cross EMS.

The written agreement they had before ended, and leaders failed to agree on new terms at this week’s meeting.

We spoke to officials with Augusta and Gold Cross to find out where they go from here.

Steven Vincent, vice president of Gold Cross, says, “For us, Tuesday is the day.”

It’s a contract that’s been debated since back in April of 2022, and time’s run out on their previous memorandum of understanding.

A fancy way of saying a written agreement, but without the commitment.

But if Gold Cross leaves, Vincent says it will cost the city more.

“Just personnel alone each year would cost about 10 million dollars, that’s just in personnel, that’s not cost of ambulances,” Vincent says.

Vincent says is about 6 to 7 hundred thousand when factoring in the vehicles and supplies. An average cost of 6 to 7 hundred per service call. Not even factoring in the time it would take to fall into a state backup plan.

Brandon Garrett, a commissioner for district 8, says, “You’re talking about a plan of action that would take years to even get up and running. In the situation that we’re in the emergency action plan is the only course of action that we can take.”

But the hope is to stick to plan a.

“I just have a lot of faith in the new commission and the new mayor. I was disappointed with what happened yesterday, but I do feel like this new commission and this new mayor is very pro-business and they want to find solutions,” Vincent says.

Augusta commissioners will be taking up the issue again in 6 days.

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