RESOLUTION NO. 33-10

A RESOLUTION AMENDING AMBULANCE FEES IN THE CITY OF GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO AND CREATING A MECHANISM FOR THOSE FEES TO INCREASE AS INCREASES ARE APPROVED BY MESA COUNTY

Recitals.

In February 2006 the City Council and the Mesa County Board of Commissioners established the City as the ambulance service provider for the designated City Ambulance Service Area (ASA). The City ASA was established in accordance with Resolution 2004-220-2 (Mesa County EMS Resolution).

By and through the Mesa County EMS Resolution Mesa County regulates inter alia the fees that may be charged by the ambulance service providers operating in the County, including the City operating within the City ASA. The Mesa County EMS Resolution provides that ambulance transport fees are adjusted in March of each year. The adjustments are based on the National Consumer Price Index (CPI) over the most recent 12 month period.

Currently the City implements changes to its ambulance transport fees as part of its annual budget adoption in December of each year. Because the City’s fees become effective early January of each year those fees are different than the County authorized fees for a period of at least nine months. That difference causes confusion and results in the City’s fees being less than authorized for a majority of a year.

With this Resolution the City, by and through the Grand Junction Fire Department, will be authorized to charge the most current Mesa County ambulance transport fees at the time the fees are set and going forward the City Council authorizes the Fire Department to adjust and implement its ambulance transport fees on the schedule set by the County resolution.

The City Council does desire to review the ambulance fees during its budget deliberations and accordingly does hereby request the City Manager to provide information about the ambulance fees (such as percentage change) during the City’s annual budget process. Notwithstanding such review the terms of this Resolution shall control unless or until this Resolution is amended or rescinded.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO:

1. The City of Grand Junction, Grand Junction Fire Department ambulance transport fees shall be set in accordance with the fees set annually by the Mesa County EMS Resolution.

2. The ambulance transport fees for the balance of 2010 shall be increased in accordance with the following schedule (attached). The fees provided for in the schedule shall become effective immediately.

3. Fees set by prior resolution that are in conflict with this resolution are
hereby repealed and all other fees not in conflict or specifically allowed shall be set in accordance with the maximum allowable rates in the Mesa County EMS Resolution.

All other terms of any other applicable resolution not modified herein shall remain in full force and effect.

PASSED AND ADOPTED this 16^th day of August, 2010.

/s/: Teresa A. Coons
President of the Council

ATTEST:

/s/: Stephanie Tuin
City Clerk