EATONVILLE, Fla. -- A fight to maintain ambulance service for the town of Eatonville has set off a political firestorm.

Mayor Anthony Grant signed an agreement with Rural Metro to provide ambulance service in Eatonville but several town council members say he did it without letting them play a role in the decision.

"As the mayor, I stand by my decision," said Grant. "I would do it again under the same circumstances."

The two year agreement starts Wednesday and means the town will pay $160 fee per call for service. Eatonville was getting free service up until Tuesday because it was covered under Orange County's Rural Metro contract. But when that contract ended, so did Eatonville's transport service.

"Nothing is more important than a senior, a baby, a teenager getting to the hospital when they need medical attention," said Grant.

Many council members are upset because they say they first saw the Rural Metro contract Sunday before being asked to vote on the issue Tuesday night. The vote never happened.

"It's the way the mayor continually chooses to do business," said council member Alvin Moore. "He chooses to keep us in the dark."

Moore would have liked to have gotten more quotes from other ambulance services. City staff did check with the city of Maitland, which is responsible for Eatonville's fire and EMS service. Maitland says adding transport would have required more personnel and a first year fee of more than $800,000.

Councilman James Randolph was the only member who told Eyewitness News he supported Grant's actions. All others were opposed.

Grant said he consulted the town's attorney before signing the contract.