Augusta, GA

Deadline passes for city to take over EMS zone in Augusta

Published

2 years ago

February 12, 2023

Deadline passes for city to take over EMS zone in Augusta

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – We’re studying extra concerning the Metropolis of Augusta’s Procurement Division and its determination on the ambulance plan.

Commissioners Catherine Smith McKnight, Sean Frantom, and Brandon Garrett said the particular known as assembly to debate the EMS Zone began late and was canceled about 10 minutes on account of not having sufficient commissioners current.

You want no less than seven to have a quorum, and the mayor can rely as an individual if attendance is missing. With that, solely 5 commissioners and the mayor have been current for the Zoom assembly.

Everybody current within the assembly voted no to Thursday’s movement from procurement to go together with AmeriPro together with Commissioners Garrett, Frantom, Guilfoyle, Mason, McKnight, and the Mayor.

Everybody absent voted no to a one-year cope with Gold Cross EMS together with Commissioners Scott, Williams, Lewis, Johnson, and Pulliam.

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Based on authorities, Gold Cross EMS is certainly making use of for the EMS Zone for Richmond County.

An announcement from the workplace of Mayor Garnett Johnson, says, “Securing a contract with an EMS supplier is an ongoing problem that Mayor Johnson’s Administration inherited, and the administration hoped a choice can be made previous to the Mayor taking workplace. This morning, there was a particular known as assembly to debate the way to proceed with the ERZ utility. Sadly, the assembly didn’t occur as there weren’t sufficient commissioners current to represent a quorum.”

The assertion continues, “Regrettably, Augusta-Richmond County didn’t submit an utility. Making use of for the zone would have given the Metropolis of Augusta a chance to contract with a supplier of its selecting and to carry that supplier accountable. The Metropolis of Augusta’s emergency response zone supplier is now on the discretion of the Georgia Division of Public Well being.”

The mayor stays targeted on guaranteeing the contracted supplier is accountable and accountable to Augusta-Richmond County residents ought to they discover themselves in want of emergent care.

“Sadly we didn’t get that performed, due to this fact, our destiny lies within the fingers within the fingers of the Division of Public Well being. As soon as a zone supplier is chosen by DPH, this course of begins throughout. The fee then has to find out if there might be or not be a subsidy quantity, so we must then come to phrases with whoever that zone supplier is and contract to supply ambulance service to our consituants,” mentioned Johnson.

Thursday’s ultimate movement is 5 to 5, ending with a tie-breaker of a no vote for the AmeriPro contract.

Augusta hearth chief, Antonio Burden, voiced his assist for the Atlanta-based firm, AmeriPro, as the seller to go inside an e mail.

However others had issues, for instance, the corporate hasn’t even been in enterprise for 5 full years. And so they have been asking for extra money than Gold Cross did within the first place.

On the finish of the day, it got here right down to a cut up 5 to five vote, the place Mayor Johnson acted because the tiebreaker and voted down the cope with AmeriPro.

A one-year cope with Gold Cross then additionally failed. In order of now, it’s nonetheless on a month-to-month foundation.

We caught up with the mayor and requested why he voted no.

“I’ve all the time been a supporter of native enterprise, in that, the amount of cash that’s being submitted and provided by AmeriPro, far exceeds something that we’ve given our native vendor the chance to service our zone. For the previous a few years, Gold Cross has expressed to the group that the subsidy quantity will not be sufficient,” Johnson says.

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Augusta, GA

Local group holds supply giveaway after kids return to school

Published

4 hours ago

January 20, 2025

Press Room

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Now that kids are back in school after the holiday break, many organizations are giving supplies away for free.

On Saturday, Purvis Huggins Realty partnered with Greater Young Zion Brotherhood to give students the opportunity to restock.

They say by the time January rolls around, students are likely out of supplies.

“I spoke with someone about it a year ago. It was one of the teachers I know, and she was telling me that by the time the school season starts, they have a lot of materials. But by the time they get to the middle of the year, they’re out,” said Purvis Huggins, owner of Purvis Huggins Realty.

In each bag, students got paper, pencils, notebooks and other items based on their grade.

Students were also able to get a haircut and snack while at the event.

Huggins says they plan to do a supply giveaway twice a year.

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Augusta, GA

Augusta mayor set to deliver 2025 State of the City address

Published

11 hours ago

January 19, 2025

Press Room

Augusta mayor set to deliver 2025 State of the City address

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – On Tuesday, Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson will deliver the 2025 State of the City address.

It will be held at the Lee N. Beard Commission Chamber, located at 535 Telfair Street, at 12 p.m.

The address will be delivered prior to the Augusta Commission meeting.

Officials say it will highlight Augusta-Richmond County’s accomplishments from 2024 and will outline initiatives planned for 2025.

The address is free and will be open to the public. It will also be live streamed for those unable to attend in-person.

Officials say the Office of the Mayor is monitoring the possibility of inclement weather.

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Augusta, GA

Crews prepare highways as CSRA braces for winter weather — again

Published

19 hours ago

January 19, 2025

Press Room

Crews prepare highways as CSRA braces for winter weather — again

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Winter weather could be heading towards the CSRA again, and the Georgia Department of Transportation says they are preparing for it.

GDOT says they are actively preparing and coordinating brine operations, equipment and materials to respond to the pending threat by treating hundreds of interstate and state route lane miles across the state.

Officials with GDOT say, unlike last week’s winter storm, this one has the potential to impact central Georgia′s entire 27-county area.

Because of the large area that could be impacted, G-DOT says treatment plans are being driven by priority.

Prior to the weather system’s arrival, crews will apply brine solutions to interstates, state routes, bridges, and overpasses in anticipation of freezing rain, sleet, ice, and snow.

Brine is a solution of salt and water used to decrease the probability of freezing under certain conditions.

GDOT crews are scheduled to begin brine operations on Sunday at 7 a.m. GDOT maintenance forces will begin by bringing I-20, I-520, and I-16. A GDOT contractor will focus on high-priority, multi-lane state routes.