The Southside and Dodson Avenue Community Health Centers’ board on Tuesday approved allowing negotiations about partnering with the University of Tennessee College of Medicine to expand obstetrics and gynecological services.

“We’ve had several discussions and now that we can actually enter into negotiations; I think this should go relatively quickly,” said Roger Forgey, senior vice president at Erlanger hospital, after the meeting.

“I think we should have a draft of the contract ready for them to review on the next (monthly) meeting,” he said.

Last week the centers’ finance committee unanimously approved a recommendation to the full board to partner with doctors from the UT College of Medicine in Chattanooga’s department of gynecology.

The arrangement would replace the centers’ current $390,000-a-year contract with Dr. James Nunally, a gynecologist in private practice, which expires in October, and he had requested an increase in his fee to $450,000 per year.

The proposal from the college of medicine would provide for 40 hours per week of physician coverage and 24-hour-a-day, on-call coverage for just $290,000, according to Mr. Forgey.