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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDocumentation_Regular_Tab 11F_06/10/1999i, ~~ F r~ ~~ ~'v ~s Y~ M E Fj ~ .^ ~? O ~~ . p~ bf, 4v py ~ co M O R A N D U M To: Village Council From: Thomas G. Bradford, Village Manager Date: June 3, 1999 %!9~ Subject: EMS Transport User Fees Staff has concluded that if the Fire-Rescue Department were to avail itself of its ability to take delinquent service charges and fees to the Special Master, that a significant part of our accounts receivable would be realized. In the course of reviewing the situation, we have discovered that a number of our fees and service charges in the Fire-Rescue Department do not have a due date associated with them. Technically, this means that if we were to take the person responsible for an EMS transport user fee delinquency before the Special Master, they could argue that there is no time frame in which they are required to pay the user fee. Accordingly, we have requested the Village Attorney to address this situation by preparing an ordinance for Village Council consideration which would require the applicable service charges and user fees to be paid within 30-60 days after the issuance of an invoice for said services. The Fire-Rescue fees and service charges in question and the recommended time for payment being due are as follows: 1) Fire Inspections Fees, Section 9-7 of the Code (3 0 days ) 2) EMS Transport User Fees, Section 9-055 of the Code (60 days) 3) Fire Watch Details as required by the National Protection Association (NFPA-No.l)Fire Prevention Code, as referenced in Section 9-5 (a) of the Teguesta Code (30 days). r If the Village Council adopts the recommended ordinance, I will instruct the applicable Department Heads to take violators of the Ordinance to the Special Master for adjudication of the issue. I feel confident our collection rate will rise substantially. It is recommended that the Village Council adopt the Ordinance attached hereto establishing due dates for various Fire-Rescue service charges. TGB/nmh \MyFiles\Village Council\EMS Due Dates Memo 6-3-99 i~ 1 ~` F re p G ~ s ~v ~ ~ ,~~~ ~ ~ M E ~~ :,~ q ,, o ~~ F9py cc ty M O R A N D U M To: Village Council From: Thomas G. Bradford, Village Manager Date: June 3, 1999 i~~~ Subject: EMS Transport User Fees Staff has concluded that if the Fire-Rescue Department were to avail itself of its ability to take delinquent service charges and fees to the Special Master, that a significant part of our accounts receivable would be realized. In the course of reviewing the situation, we have discovered that a number of our fees and service charges in the Fire-Rescue Department do not have a due date associated with them. Technically, this means that if we were to take the person responsible for an EMS transport user fee delinquency before the Special Master, they could argue that there is no time frame in which they are required to pay the user fee. Accordingly, we have requested the Village Attorney to address this situation by preparing an ordinance for Village Council consideration which would require the applicable service charges and user fees to be paid within 30-60 days after the issuance of an invoice for said services. The Fire-Rescue fees and service charges in question and the recommended time for payment being due are as follows: 1) Fire Inspections Fees, Section 9-7 of the Code (3 0 days ) 2) EMS Transport User Fees, Section 9-055 of the Code (60 days) 3) Fire Watch Details as required by the National Protection Association (NFPA-No.l)Fire Prevention Code, as referenced in Section 9-5(a) of the Tequesta Code (30 days). If the Village Council adopts the recommended ordinance, I will instruct the applicable Department Heads to take violators of the Ordinance to the Special Master for adjudication of the issue. I feel confident our collection rate will rise substantially. It is recommended that the Village Council adopt the Ordinance attached hereto establishing due dates for various Fire-Rescue service charges. TGB/nmh \MyFiles\Village Council\EMS Due Dates Memo 6-3-99 ~~ joNEs FOSTER jOHNSTON 8~ STUBBS, P.A. Attorneys and Counselors John C. Randolph, Esq. Direct Dial: (561) 650-0458 E-mail: jandolph@jones-foster.com June 2, 1999 Mr. Thomas G. Bradford Village Manager Village of Tequesta Post Office Box 3273 Tequesta, Florida 33469-0273 RE: Village of Tequesta Fire-Rescue Department User Fees Our File No. 13153.1 Dear Tom: Flagler Center Tower, Suite 1100 505 South Flagler Drive West Palm Beach, Florida 33401 Telephone (561) 659-3000 VIA FAX: 575-6203 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 3 1999 ~>>lage Manager's Office Please find enclosed an ordinance responding to the request in your letter of April 27,1999, wherein you requested that the appropriate ordinance of the Village be amended so as to establish due dates for certain service charges. This ordinance provides that in the event the fees are not paid by the required due date, the person responsible shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the Special Master under the Code Enforcement Ordinance of the Village. If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me. Sincerely, JONES, FOSTER, JOHNSTON & STUBBS, P.A. G ,Q~~~.~ John C. Randolph JCR/ssm Enclosure ~I6NED IN THE ABSENCE OF JOHN C. RANDOLPH TO EXPEDITE DELIVERY; Mailing Address Post Office Box 3475 West Palm Beach, Florida 33402-3475 Facsimile (561) 832-1454 Village of Tequesta cc: Charles Burnsed, Acting-Fire Rescue Chief Via Fax: 575-6239 ORDINANCE NO. AN ORDINANCE OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA, PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 9 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE VILLAGE AT ARTICLE II, FIRE PREVENTION, TO PROVIDE THAT CERTAIN USER FEES BE PAID WITHIN THE SPECIFIED TIME PERIOD; PROVIDING THAT PERSONS WHO FAIL TO PAY IN A TIMELY MANNER SHALL BE SUBJECT TO REVIEW BY THE VILLAGE SPECIAL MASTER PURSUANT TO THE CODE ENFORCEMENT ORDINANCE OF THE VILLAGE, CHAPTER 2, ARTICLE IV, DIVISION 2; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT; PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA, PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA, AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. Chapter 9 of the Code of Ordinances of the Village of Tequesta relating to Fire Protection and Prevention is hereby amended at Article II, Fire Prevention, Section 9-5, to read as follows: "Sec. 9-5. Codes adopted; copies on file. (a) There are hereby adopted by the Village, for the purpose of prescribing regulations governing conditions hazardous to the health, safety, welfare, life and property from fire or explosion, certain codes known as the Standard Fire Prevention Code, 1991 edition, and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Life Safety Code, 1991 edition, and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA-1) Fire Prevention Code, 1992 edition. If conflict exists between the codes, the more stringent shall be applied at the discretion of the chief of the fire-rescue department or his representative. (b) A copy of each of the above codes is on file with the Village Clerk; and the same are hereby adopted and incorporated as fully as if set out at length herein; and from the date on which this section shall take effect, the provisions thereof shall be controlling within the limits of the Village. (c) Any fee imposed under this section for fire watch details as established by the National Fire Codes, shall be paid within thirty (30}days after receipt of an itemized bill for such service. Failure to pay any fee imposed under this section within the required time shall subject the party responsible for payment to review before the Special Master of the Village pursuant to the terms of the Code Enforcement Ordinanceof the Village of Tequesta, Chapter 2, Article IV, Division2, o~the Code of Ordinances of the Village." Section 2. Chapter 9 of the Code of Ordinances of the Village of Tequesta relating to Fire Protection and Prevention is hereby amended at Article II, Fire Prevention, Section 9-7, to read as follows: "Sec. 9-7. Fees -Annual fire inspection fee; plan review fee. (a) A fee shall be imposed by the Village for each fire inspection performed by the fire-rescue department and shall be according to the fire inspection fee schedule set forth in Exhibit A attached hereto and incorporated herein. Any fee imposed under this section shall be paid within thirty (30) days after receipt of an itemized bill for such service. (b) A fee shall be imposed for review offire-rescue plans and for inspections for all new construction within the Village, and shall be according to the fee schedule set forth in Exhibit B attached hereto and incorporated herein. Any fee imposed under this section shall be paid within thirty (30) days. after receipt of an itemized bill for such service. Failure to pay any fee imposed under this section within the required time shall subject the party responsible for payment to review before the Special Master of the Villagepursuant to the terms of the Code Enforcement Ordinance of the Village of Tequesta, Chapter 2, Article IV, Division 2, of the Code of Ordinances of the Village." Section 3. Chapter 9 of the Code of Ordinances of the Village of Tequesta relating to Fire Protection and Prevention is hereby amended at Article IV, Pre-Hospital Emergency Medical Service, Section 9-55, to read as follows: "Sec. 9-55. Schedule of user fees. The initial fire rescue pre-hospital emergency medical care system user fees for emergency medical care treatment and transportation within the service areas shall be as follows: Emergency medical treatment $ 0.00 Emergency medical transportation $310.00 Plus, per mile charge, pick up to hospital $ 6.00 Fire rescue emergency medical care service user fees shall be paid in cash, no in- kind contribution for such use is permissible. Any fee imposed under this section shall be paid within sixty (60) days after receipt of an itemized. bill for such service. Failure to pay any fee imposedunder this section within the required time shall 2 subject the party responsible for payment to review before the.Special Master ofthe Village pursuant to the terms of the Code Enforcement Ordinance of the Village of Tequesta, Chapter 2, Article IV, Division 2, of the Code of Ordinances of the Village." Section 4. Severability. If any provision of this Ordinance or the application thereof is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect the other provisions or applications of this Ordinance which can be given effect without the invalid provisions or applications, and to this end, the provisions of this Ordinance are hereby declared severable. Section 5. Repeal of Ordinances in Conflict. All other ordinances of the Village of Tequesta, Florida, or parts thereof which conflict with this or any part of this Ordinance are hereby repealed. Section 6. Codification. This Ordinance shall be codified and made a part of the official Code of Ordinances of the Village of Tequesta. Section 7. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its passage and approval, as provided by law. THE FOREGOING Councilmember follows: FOR ADOPTION AGAINST ADOPTION ORDINANCE was offered by Councilmember who moved its adoption. The Ordinance was seconded by and upon being put to a vote, the vote was as 3 The Mayor thereupon declared the Ordinance duly passed and adopted this day of , 1999. MAYOR OF TEQUESTA Ron T. Mackail ATTEST: Village Clerk N:UCR\ 131530RD\FIRERES.FEE