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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAmending Chapter 9 Entitled Ambulance /Medical User Fee and Dedicated FundORDINANCE No. 6897 -81 Passed by the Common Council of the City of South Bend, Clerk IRENE K. GAMMON 4L President of Common Council Presented by me to the Mayor of the City of South Bend, March 10, 19-K Clerk IRENE K. GAMMON Approved and signed by me 19 ORDINANCE NO. 6897 -81 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 9 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA BY THE INCLUSION OF NEW ARTICLE 3 ENTITLED AMBULANCE /MEDICAL USER FEE AND .DEDICATED FUND. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND INTENT The Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana, passed Ordinance No. 6483 on October 23, 1978. This ordinance established a user fee of $35.00 per occurrence for services rendered by the City of South Bend through its Ambulance /Paramedic service of the Fire Department. The Common Council has reviewed the actual cost of providing Ambulance /Paramedic services, and believe that the user fees should be adjusted to more realistically reflect the increased operating expenses in this area. The Council further believes that all fees collected pursuant to this service should be placed in a dedicated fund which will be earmarked for the repair and /or purchasing of necessary Ambu- lance /Paramedic equipment, other Fire Department equipment, and to pay for the cost of needed repair or remodeling of existing fire stations, or the building of new fire stations. The Council believes that the long -term benefits of creating such a dedicated fund will benefit the people of South Bend, by improving the operating equipment of the Fire Department by developing a systematic equipment replacement program and by providing funds for necessary buildings and equipment repairs and remodeling. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, as follows: SECTION I. Chapter 9 of the Municipal Code of the City of South Bend, Indiana, is hereby amended by the inclusion of new Article 3 entitled Ambulance /Medical User Fee and Dedicated Fund, which shall read in its entirety as follows: ARTICLE 3. Ambulance /Medical User Fee and Dedicated Fund SEC. 9 -16 Ambulance /Medical User Fee Established (a) The following user fee schedule shall be charged for all Ambulance /Medical services provided by the City through its paramedic branch of the Fire Department: (1) Basic Fee ......... ... ........$55.00 (2) Mileage Fee (per patient miles) ...... .1.25 (3) Emergency Fee (red lights and siren) .... 10.00 (4) Oxygen Fee ... ..........................10.00 (b) The above fees shall be charged per patient run occurrence. (c) The above fees shall take effect on April 1, 1981. All fees billed from April 1, 1981 through August 31, 1981; and all of such subsequent collections of such billing shall be deposited in the General Fund of the City. SEC.9 -17. Ambulance /Medical User Fees Deposited in Separate Dedicated Fund (a) Beginning September 1, 1981 all fees billed and collected under this Article shall be deposited in a separate dedicated fund of the Fire Department. (b) All of said sums of money so collected and deposited in said separate dedicated fund shall be used solely to address the repair and /or replacement of Ambulance /Paramedic equipment; the repair and /or replacement of Fire Department equipment; and for the necessary repair and remodeling of existing fire stations, and the building of new fire station(s). SEC. 9 -18 Annual Review of User Fees (a) The Common Council shall review on a regular basis all user fee schedules established under this Article. Said review shall be conducted on an annual basis. (b) The Fire Chief shall file with the Common Council on or before June 1st of each year all pertinent data necessary for such annual review. Said data shall be used in determining fair and equitable user fees. SECTION II. Ordinance No. 6483 -78 shall be repealed upon the effective date of this ordinance. SECTION III. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage by the Common Council, approval by the Mayor, and legal advertisement. of the Common Counc Passed, as amended, March 9, 1981 Joseph E. Keman Director, Administration and Finance CITY of SOUTH BEND ROGER O. PARENT, Mayor COUNTY -CITY BUILDING SOUTH BEND, INDIANA 46601 February 18, 1981 South Bend Common Council 4th Floor County -City Building South Bend, Indiana 46601, Dear Members of the Council: 219/284 -9742 This ordinance would amend the fees assessed for the use of ambulance /medical services provided by the City of South Bend. The fees that will be charged are more consistent with those charged in this geographic area, and very closely conform with the standards that have been set by health insurance companies for reimbursement. While the amended fees will provide for added revenue, the cost of providing this very necessary emergency medical ser- vice is still substantially underwritten by local property tax revenues. Based on some of the discussions we have had I have added language that would serve to address what both the Council and the Administration feel is an important concern - capital equipment and improvements. The ordinance would provide that a separate fund be established in 1982 for these ambulance fee revenues. The purpose for waiting until next year is that these receipts have already been dedicated to the General Fund as a miscellaneous revenue for 1981. The ordinance also provides that while the fees are earmarked for capital equipment and improvements, they may be used to address operating expenses. While the capital program is recognized as extremely important, this will give us the flex- ibility to be able to prioritize the use of the funds on expenses that may be more critical at any given time. Common Council February 18, 1981 Page -2- Thank you very much for your input and assistance in drafting this ordinance. If you have any further questions or need more information, please call me at any time. Thank you very much. Sincerel , Joseph E. Kernan City Controller JEK:des Attachment Tammmtr Irpurt 130 ille (dnmawn (Iomm -d of Or (DUH of #04 stub: Your Committee Of The Whole to whom was referred A BILL AMENDING THE USER FEE SCHEDULE ASSESSED FOR THE USE OF AMBULANCE /MEDICAL SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, THROUGH ITS EMERGENCY MEDICAL /PARAMEDIC SERVICE OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND DEDICATING SAID FEES TO THE CUMULATIVE FIRE EQUIPMENT AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND. Respectfully report that they have examined the matter and that in their opinion This bill should be recommended to the Council favorable, as amended: amend the bill in accorldance with the attached copy presented to the City Clerk. John Voorde Chairman '... •Belt ,YBLIBNINB CO.