AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – After weeks of work, a contract with Central EMS for ambulance service is ready for Augusta commissioners, a deal which is designed to improve emergency response times.

“They’re offering up having 8 ambulances 24 hours a day, 6 more during peak times, and 3 QRV’s, which are quick response vehicles, running in conjunction with those 8 ambulances all day,” said Mayor Pro-Tem Brandon Garrett.   

The proposed five-year contract not only deals with response times and the number of ambulances, but it also includes a subsidy to be paid for by taxpayers. 

The proposed subsidy is $2.65 million a year that would increase yearly during the contract, and for some that is a sticking point.  

“It’s $2.65 million with a 3% escalation every year, and that’s what concerns me. We’ve never done that before. We need to take that off the table, and we need to take it down from a five-year contract down to a three-year contract,” said Commissioner Wayne Guilfoyle.  

A proposal before commissioners earlier had the city paying a $1.95 million subsidy to Gold Cross, and that motion failed.  

Central EMS has said it needs a ten percent profit in this contract, 

So, will commissioners make a counteroffer? 

“There’s always a number that’s put out there first, so when you start looking at that and having further conversations, of course, I would like to see the subsidy be less,” said the Mayor Pro-Tem. 

“If they want it to pass, they had better come back to the drawing table and say, ‘Hey, let’s reduce this price and make this a three-year contract,’” said Guilfoyle.  

An ambulance service contract between the city and Central EMS is ready for commissioners on Tuesday, even If some commissioners are not ready to vote for it.