The Decatur County Board of Commissioners voted 5-1 Tuesday to contact GoldStar Ambulance and Mid Georgia Ambulance with inquiry as to the total price they would charge Decatur and Seminole counties for a private EMS system. The possibility of a regional EMS system will also be proposed.
This decision was made in replacement of one of the three options presented by Georgia EMS two weeks ago that the board originally intended to vote on at the meeting.
“One of those options wasn’t chosen, but it’s a step in the right direction,” commissioner Butch Mosely said.
An initial motion was made by commissioner Jan Godwin to select the option having Georgia EMS provide an in-depth data report on Decatur County’s current EMS. The process could take up to four to six months, according to Georgia EMS Director Ernie Dodd. The vote tied 3-3 and no action was taken.
“I see this as just kicking the can down the road for another four months,” Mosely said. “We know we have problems, we know what the problems are. We either need to fix them or consider privatizing and let them fix the problems.”
Mosely made a motion to contact GoldStar Ambulance and Mid Georgia Ambulance as soon as possible to request “in writing what services they would provide, what equipment they would provide, what kind of personnel coverage they would provide and for what price,” Decatur County Attorney Brown Moseley said.
The motion was carried with a 5-1 vote. Jan Godwin voted against it.
Mosely said if they could make a private deal incorporating Seminole County as well that would be “icing on the cake,” he said.
“All of Seminole County commissioners are just waiting on us, and they would like to see regional EMS,” commissioner Russell Smith said. “(Georgia EMS) came in an identified what we already knew. Where does that put our liability?”
It was undermined how long it would take to receive estimates from GoldStar Ambulance and Mid Georgia Ambulance.