HomeMy WebLinkAboutPO 5260: AMBULANCE AMENDMENTinteroffice
MEMORANDUM
To: Mayor, City Council, City Manager
From: Mark T. Sokolow, City Attorney ~ ~
Subject: P.O. No. 5260; May 14, 2002 Council Meeting
Date: May 10, 2002
Attached is P.O. 5260 amending Section 114-33 (c) of
the Code of Ordinances as it pertains to Emergency Medical
Vehicles and an alternative to the $50,000 per year annual fee
that is charged to a company. The major change is that to obtain
a reduction in the annual fee, the average response time will
need to be five (5) minutes instead of six (6) minutes. The
Company will also need to allow the City to use its dispatch
system in case of an emergency and use its ambulances if the
company ceases operations in the City. The Council will need to
delineate how much a reduction in fees there should be. Mayor
Pro Tem Henderson and Councilmember Bowers are looking at a
substantial reduction or waiver. (Requested by Mayor Pro Tem
Henderson and Councilmember Bowers)
MTS/ts
Attachment
cc: VIA FACSIMILE (409) 842-4683
George Knupple
METROCARE EMS
4770 Washington Boulevard
Beaumont, TX 77707
VIA FACSIMILE (409) 985-4466
Ralph Crall
GOLDSTAR EMS
4439 Gulfway Drive
Port Arthur, TX 77642
VIA FACSIMILE (713) 795-0447
Welsey Boyd
Chief Operating Officer
THE AMSTAR AMBULANCE GROUP, INC.
2010 Naomi Street, Suite C
Houston, TX 77054
P.O. No. 5260
05/10/02 ts
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE PROPOSED SUB-
SECTION 114-33 (c) OF THE CODE OF
ORDINANCES AS IT PERTAINS TO EMERGENCY
MEDICAL VEHICLES AND AN ALTERNATIVE TO
THE $50,000 PER YEAR ANNUAL FEE THAT IS
CHARGED TO A COMPANY (REQUESTED BY MAYOR
PRO TEM HENDERSON AND COUNCILMEMBER
BOWERS)
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 02-07 adopted on February 19,
2002, added a new Sub-Section 114-33 (c) approving an
alternative to the $50,000 annual fee wherein the fee
could be reduced to $6,250 per quarter under certain
circumstances with such Ordinance being effective on May
15, 2002; and
WHEREAS, the City Council deems it in the public
interest to authorize a further reduction to the fee if
the average response time is five (5) minutes or less;
and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Port Arthur
has decided that it is in the best
interests and public
health of the citizens of the City of Port Arthur to
amend the new proposed Sub-Section 114-33 (c) under
Article II Emergency Medical Vehicle of the Code of
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Ordinances.
NOW THEREFORE,
THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR:
Section 1. That
preamble are true and
Section 2.
Arthur, Texas,
subsection to
BE IT ORDAINED
BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF
the facts and opinions in the
correct.
That the Code of Ordinances, City of Port
is hereby amended by adding a new
be numbered Section 114-33(c), which
section reads as follows:
"Sec. 114-33.
(c) As an alternative to the fee being
the City, an Emergency Medical Services
companies may receive a reduction from the
quarterly payments to $ in
payments if the company provides all of the
The company
the company ceases to provide
services to the citizens of
charged by
company or
$12,500 in
quarterly
following:
(1)
in case
ambulance
Arthur:
(a)
agrees to provide the following
full-time emergency
the City of Port
The Company agrees to immediately allow the
City of Port Arthur to take possession and
to use up to five (5) of the company's fully
equipped MICU capable ambulances as
determined at the sole discretion of the
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City for a period of six (6) months. After
taking possession of the ambulances, the
City will pay the fair market lease value of
the ambulance vehicles and its equipment.
If there is a dispute as to the fair market
value, the City will retain the possession
and use of the ambulances for six (6)months
and the issue as to the amount of rental and
accrued interest at 6% per year for overdue
payments will be decided by an arbitrator.
Pending the arbitration, the City will pay
monthly payments to the company as to the
amount of lease payments the City considers
to be the fair market lease value.
(2) The company provides a dispatch system in
Jefferson County that has the following specifications
and uses:
A) Dispatch Room.
Six (6) dispatch consoles each complete
with radio equipment
CPU networked to server containing
dispatch software and a video monitor.
Large marker board visible to all
dispatchers. Board will show all
emergency numbers for operations and who
is on staff at the time.
Maps of all areas covered should be
posted on walls of dispatch area in case
of computer failure.
Ability to relinquish three (3) dispatch
consoles to Port Arthur Police
Department and Fire Department.
These consoles have word processing and
spreadsheet capabilities.
B) Radio equipment.
Radio consoles are independent and self-
supporting.
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c)
D)
Radio frequency that is not public.
Provider should have the ability to talk
to all public agencies in Jefferson
County.
Two (2) spare frequencies will be
available for the Fire Department and
Police Department of Port Arthur.
Radio system capable of transmitting to
all service areas of E.M.S. company.
Telephone equipment.
Telephone equipment should be a PBX
(Public Branch Exchange) style and not
of a "Key" switch style.
System should be able to transfer calls
and handle a tele-branch of no less than
five (5) numbers.
Server system.
One (1) backup server for consoles
available for Fire Department and Police
Department.
Server redundancy including tape backup
for all server based central processing
units.
UPS power backup system for essential
equipment. Power time of fifteen (15)
minutes or more.
E)
F)
Backup generators
High quality backup generators. Should
be able to operate dispatch and
information technology room without
public utility power.
Recorders.
Ail communications will be recorded.
Playback should be available.
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G)
H)
I)
J)
K)
Dispatch support.
Information Technology
staff 24 hours
service contract
support.
Disaster plans.
Specialist on
7 days a week or
providing the same
Disaster recovery plans due to flood,
fire, storm, or any other acts of God.
Dispatch system provides a redundant
radio circuit for ISO rating of the City.
City dispatch personnel will be allowed
access to the equipment of the Emergency
Medical Services company as to facilitate
and plan for emergency contingencies.
Dispatch system can be used by the City at
no cost in case of an emergency.
(3) The company maintains an average response time
of five (5) minutes or less in the City of Port Arthur
over the previous three (3) months and provides such
information to the City.
(4) The company will not receive a refund for any
monies previously paid."
Section 3. That if any portion of this Ordinance
shall, for any reason, be declared invalid by any Court
shall not
of competent jurisdiction, the invalidity
affect the remaining provisions hereof.
Section 4.
That any and all other Ordinances in
conflict
herewith, and including Ordinance 02-07, is
herein repealed.
Section
publication,
May, 2002.
Section 6.
Ordinance be
Council.
READ,
5. That this Ordinance,
shall be effective on the
not requiring
15th day of
City Council
following vote:
Council:
That a copy of the caption of this
spread upon the Minutes of the City
ADOPTED AND APPROVED on this day of
, A.D., 2002, at a Regular Meeting of the
of the City of Port Arthur, Texas, by the
AYES: Mayor , City
;
NOES:
ATTEST:
OSCAR ORTIZ, MAYOR
JAN STRODER, ACTING CITY SECRETARY
APPROVED AS TO FORM.'
MARK T. SOKOLOW, CITY ATTORNEY
APPROVED FOR ADMINISTRATION:
STEVE FITZGIBBONS, CITY MANAGER