Loading...
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_