Lesson for Kolb: Avoid angry letters

Remember when, a couple of years ago, Augusta Mayor Bob Young caught political heat for writing a nasty letter to the boss of an annoying quasi-media gnat, trying to get the writer fired?

After the public drubbing Young took, youd think the folks in our neighboring community would have learned a lesson.

Maybe George Kolb missed the memo.

Kolb, Augustas otherwise sensible city administrator, was miffed that Gold Cross - Columbia Countys ambulance-service provider - wanted to charge for backing up Augustas ambulance service on mutual aid calls. Kolb fired off a scathing note to Columbia County Administrator Steve Szablewski, calling Gold Cross unethical and unprofessional because the company wanted to be paid for sending out its ambulances (imagine that!).

Dumb move. Augusta commissioners have since signed a letter of their own slapping Kolbs hand. Meanwhile, Columbia County officials brokered a meeting between Gold Cross and Rural Metro, and the two private services worked out their own mutual-aid agreement.

And a final irony: Just after Kolb ripped Gold Cross for seeking payment for aid calls, his own Augusta fire chief, Al Gillespie, circulated a new policy and fee schedule that would charge other agencies for using fire-service equipment!