For over a decade Redmond has provided free EMS service to Chattooga County, and a recent announcement by Commissioner Blake Elsberry  that he plans to re-bid the free service, caught some people by surprise.

The commissioner is defending his decision to rebid the EMS contract that currently costs the county nothing.

Elsberry told the local newspaper that his decision is because he believes that the county could receive even more healthcare services from the EMS provider.  He also said that the recent purchase of both Floyd and Redmond hospitals in Rome makes now the time to rebid the service.

A ten-year contract for EMS service was signed during former Commissioner Jason Winters’ last term in office.

The commissioner, a former employee of Floyd Medical Center, says that he hopes that Redmond will participate in the re-bidding process.

WZQZ News has heard from Redmond EMS employees that they have already been told by Redmond that they will be transferred to other EMS positions when Redmond’s contract is terminated later this year by Commissioner Elsberry.

Chattooga County Attorney Chris Corbin told WZQZ News on Thursday afternoon that no official bid requests have been sent from the commissioner’s office as of yesterday.