Chattooga County Commissioner Jason Winters signed an agreement with Redmond EMS on Thursday of this week, and Redmond began EMS Service in Chattooga County at midnight on April 1.  AM 1180 received a copy of the contract signed by Redmond and the Commissioner.  In the contract it states that employees of the former Chattooga County EMS that are now Redmond EMS employees can not be terminated "at will" for the first year of employment.  The agreement reads:

" (Redmond EMS) further agrees not to terminate any hired Employee on an ‘at-will’ basis, or without cause during the one (1) year period beginning on the Commencement Date (April 1, 2011) and ending on the first anniversary of the Commencement Date."

The contract also provides for former Chattooga EMS workers to be granted a 48 hour "accrued time" with Redmond and a sick leave "bank" that commensurates with their years of service to Chattooga County.