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Ordinance 1882ORDINANCE NO. 1882 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF EDMONDS, WASHINGTON, CREATING A NEW CHAPTER 4.09 IN THE EDMONDS CITY CODE; ESTABLISHING A SYSTEM OF AMBULANCE SERVICE; PROVIDING FOR THE OPERATION OF THE AMBULANCE SERVICE AND PROVIDING FOR THE COLLECTION OF REVENUES TO FINANCE THE SAME. WHEREAS, the City at the present time operates an emergency aid car facility, and WHEREAS, the private ambulance service heretofore in operation in the south Snohomish County area has discontinued operations, and WHEREAS, the City Council finds that it is necessary for the public health, safety and general welfare that the present emergency service be extended to adequately provide for emergency calls and sick calls for the citizens of said city, and WHEREAS, in order to maintain adequate equipment and provide sufficient trained personnel it is necessary to provide a source of revenues in order to finance or to aid in the financing of such emergency ambulance services, now, therefore, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EDMONDS, WASHINGTON, DO ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. There is hereby added to the Edmonds City Code a new chapter 4.09 entitled "Emergency Ambulance Service Excise Tax." -1- Section 2. 4.09.010. Establishment of utility to provide emergency ambulance service. There is hereby established an emergency ambulance service for the purpose of responding to emergency calls and sick calls for the use, the health and welfare of the residents of the City of Edmonds and such adjacent service area as may be prescribed from time to time by the Mayor and City Council or through interlocal agreements, mutual aid pacts or other similar means. Section 3. 4.09.020. Amount of excise tax to be established by City Council. There shall be a fee levied and collected from all persons, businesses and industries who are served by the emergency ambulance service owned and operated by the City of Edmonds, which fee shall be in an amount as fixed and determined from time to time by resolution of the City Council. Section 4. 4.09.030. Tax included in utility billing. Each water customer, industry and business and each household, the term household including not only single-family dwellings but also each apartment or individual unit in multiple family dwellings, shall be assessed a monthly ambulance service charge which charges shall be set forth as a part of and included in the utility billing made by the City to each customer, industry and business and each household. Section 5. 4.09.040. Extent of emergency ambulance service. The ambulance service to be established and paid for by the charges -2- authorized by this chapter shall be for emergency calls only for transportation to a local hospital or other local facility providing emergency care. Additional charges may be established by resolution of the City Council for any other ambulance services. Section 6. 4.09.050. Collection of charges. The monies levied by this chapter shall be collected by the water department at the same time and in the same manner as water charges are collected. In the event any person, industry, business or other entity subject to the ambulance service charge pays less than the full amount of the periodic utility billing such funds as are received shall first be applied to the payment of the ambulance service charge and then to the amounts billed for other utilities, notwithstanding requests, directions or restrictive endorsements by the person, business or industry paying the same to the contrary. All funds collected for the ambulance service charge shall be deposited with the Finance Director and such funds shall be used for the maintenance and operation of the ambulance service, including but not limited to the training and all other costs attendant with employing necessary personnel and for the acquisi- tion, maintenance and operation of necessary vehicles or other equipment. Section 7. 4.09.060. Quarterly reports. Reports of all calls and revenues collected shall be made by the Fire Chief and -3- Finance Director, respectively, to the Mayor and City Council at least as often as quarterly. APPROVED: MAYOR, H: H. HARRISON ATTEST: CITY CLERK, IRaINE VARNEY MORAN FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK: October 7, 1976 PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL: October 26, 1976 PUBLISHED: November 3, 1976 MEAN