HomeMy WebLinkAbout2135 ResolutionRESOLUTION NO. 2-1 3 5
A RESOLUTION of the Pasco City Council establishing rates for the use
of the City Ambulance Service, and rescinding Resolution No 1865
WHEREAS, the City Council last established rates for use of City
Ambulance Service in Resolution No 1865 passed on February 21, 1989, and
WHEREAS, the use of the City Ambulance for non-emergency
transports increases the cost of operating the City Fire Department and has a
negative effect on the readiness of the Fire Department to respond to
emergency situations, and
WHEREAS, private ambulance businesses exist within the Pasco
community and Tr-Cities region which can provide non-emergency
ambulance transportation service, and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds the pricing of non-emergency
transports to be an appropriate mechanism to discourage non-emergency use
of the City Ambulance, now, therefore,
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PASCO, WASHINGTON DO
RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
1. The following rates to be effective on July 1, 1994 are hereby
established for the use of the City Ambulance Service made available through
the Pasco Fire Department
1 "Emergency service" base rates for those persons qualifying for the
"service fee adjustment" provided in PMC 3 05 070 ("household tax" payer
and reciprocity) - 0 dollars
2 Non-emergency service base rate for those persons qualifying for the
"service fee adjustment" provided in PMC 3 05 070 ("household tax" payer) -
$250 00
3 The base rate for all persons not qualifying for the "service fee
adjustment" provided in PMC 3 05 070 - $375 00
4 Additional service fees charged for special services and supplies on
all non-emergency ambulance runs and on emergency runs for persons not
qualifying for the "service fee adjustment" provided in PMC 3 05 070 and 080
AO 41 .-4surk Aii
RUBSTEL
ts)
torney
CATHERINE D SEAMAN
Deputy City Clerk
02 Administration 12 00
Burn Care 52 00
OB Kit 17 00
Shock Trouser 28 00
ECG Monitor 28 00
Ecg Fast-Patch Electrodes 15 00
ECG Quik-Pace Electrodes 40 00
IV Start 6 50
Wound Care 5 00
Splinting/C Collar/Backboard 18 00
2. This Resolution supersedes and rescinds Resolution No 1865 passed
on February 21, 1989
Passed by the City Council of the City of Pasco, at a regular meeting
this 6th day of June, 1994
CITY OF PASCO:
ATTEST:
APPR 0 ED AS TO FORM:
Resolution No. Page 2 of 2
AGENDA REPORT NO. 36
TO City Council May 19, 1994
FROM Gary Crutchfiel anager W/Shop Mtg 5/23/94
SUBJECT Ambulance Slecial Service Fees Reg Mtg 6/6/94
I. REFERENCE(S):
1 Ordinance
2 Resolution
II. ACTION REQUESTED OF COUNCIL/STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
5/23: DISCUSSION
6/6: MOTION: I move to adopt Ordinance No
emergency ambulance service
, concerning
MOTION: I move to approve Resolution No , fixing
rates for use of city ambulance services
III. FISCAL IMPACT:
Reduction in General Fund revenues of approximately $7,000 annually
IV. HISTORY AND FACTS BRIEF:
A) The three cities have long operated their respective ambulance services
through their Fire Departments, based on common ordinances intended to
provide for "free" emergency ambulance service for any resident of any of the
three cities, since all three cities charge a household tax to offset part of the
cost of the service Likewise, all three cities charge for emergency ambulance
service provided to non-residents (ambulance runs to locations outside the
corporate boundaries of one of the three cities)
B) Several years ago, the City of Pasco established "Special Service Fees" to help
recover the cost of supplies and particular services provided to the users of
the ambulance service In doing so, the additional charges were applied to all
users of the ambulance system, regardless of residency
C) Upon recent inquiry, the City Attorney has advised that the application of
special service fees to residents who are paying the household tax is
inconsistent with the present spirit and letter of the ordinance establishing
the emergency service Thus, either the letter of the law needs to be changed
to authorize the application of the special service fees or, in the alternative,
amend the code to permit application of those special service fees
V. DISCUSSION:
A) Given the spirit of the long-standing reciprocity agreement between the three
municipalities, staff recommends the ordinance be amended to permit the
application of special service fees only to those users of the service who are
not paying the household tax in one of the three cities The financial impact of
this recommendation is estimated at about $7,000 a year
B) In addition to the clarification as to which users are billed for the additional
special service fees, the Assistant Chief has noted the list of special service
fees needs to be amended to reflect a couple of additional charges associated
with the improved equipment the city has installed in its ambulances over the
past year
C) With Council concurrence, an appropriate ordinance and resolution will be
prepared by staff for formal action of the Council on June 6
(L_