The Rome City Commission unanimously accepted on Monday a contract with H2U First Onsite to provide a health care clinic for city employees and their dependents.

The contract with the Redmond Regional Medical Center affiliate is a joint venture with the county. The Floyd County Commission is scheduled to take up the issue at its March 13 meeting.

City Commissioners Bill Collins and Kim Canada voted against accepting the proposal last month, but joined the rest of the board Monday in adopting the three-year contract.

City Manager John Bennett said a section would be added to govern referrals. Patients would get a list of all local providers rather than a suggested physician.

“I called H2U and they agreed to that,” he told the board. “They said from the beginning they’d handle it like that but I thought we should have it in the contract.”

County Commissioner Garry Fricks cited a potential competition for referrals when he pressed last month to let Redmond and Floyd Medical Center “battle it out” for the contract. H2U’s proposal was chosen from a field of eight submitted in 2010.

Under the lengthy contract, each government will pay about $100,000 a year — $13.90 a month per employee — plus start-up costs for a clinic to be located in Redmond’s West Town Center complex, at 2112 Shorter Ave.

Employees could continue to see their primary care physicians, but the clinic would be a lower cost option. Visits would be free for those with medical coverage and $20 for those who don’t participate in the city or county plan.

“I think you’re going to see more and more employers, especially large employers, looking at ways like this to cut costs,” Bennett said.

In other actions Monday, the board approved an exemption from the $6,000 fire tap fee for buildings on Broad Street between First Avenue and Sixth Avenue.

The relief is meant to encourage the installation of sprinkler systems in historic downtown structures.

Commissioners also issued a proclamation recognizing 85-year-old Joe Gittings for decades of community contributions.

“He’s volunteered untold energy, ideas and enthusiasm to the betterment of the city of Rome,” Mayor Evie McNiece said.

The board also recognized Joe Cieri and Chris Snider of the Billy Casper Golf management team at the city-owned Stonebridge Golf Club. Commissioner Bill Collins said Stonebridge was named “Most Improved Course” at the Billy Casper annual meeting, and the facility cleared $100,000 more in 2011 than it did in 2012.