(A) The Antis Township Board of Supervisors, and/or any recognized fire company, is hereby authorized to enter into a contract with a third-party billing agency and/or collection agency for performance of emergency, rescue and hazmat services billing and/or collection services, provided that the following standards for third-party billing contracts are met:
(1) The third-party billing service is to be provided at a rate not to exceed 20% of fees collected or at an amount consistent with the fair-market value for services rendered.
(2) Neither the billing agency nor any of its employees are subject to exclusion from any user fee.
(3) The billing agency is bonded and/or insured in amounts satisfactory to Antis Township.
(B) The township and/or any recognized fire company may, in its discretion, bill additionally for material and vehicle costs in the case of any major, extraordinary, or unique incidents, including, but not limited to, hazardous materials spills, fire emergency and rescue incidents that destroy or severely damage emergency services equipment.
(C) User fees.
(1) Volunteer fire and rescue services shall initiate user fees for the delivery of emergency services, supplies and equipment to the scene of any hazardous material incident, environmental incident or safety and rescue incident or operation, including vehicular accidents and fires that occur on the roadways in Antis Township. The rate of the user fee shall be that which is usual, customary and reasonable in accordance with standard practice and industry standards.
(2) Every person and/or utility that is provided with volunteer emergency, rescue and hazmat services shall be billed a user fee in accordance with this article.
(3) The user fee for volunteer emergency services rendered shall be billed directly to the user of such services' insurance company. If the insurance company is not known, the user of services shall be billed directly, with instructions to forward the bill to his/her insurance provider.
(4) Any and all amounts collected as a result of this article shall be used for the replacement and maintenance of emergency services materials and equipment.
(5) Antis Township may implement rules and/or regulations and/or revoke or amend existing rules and/or regulations as may be deemed necessary for the billing and/or collection of user fees pursuant to this article.
(D) Uncollectible accounts.
(1) The user fee is anticipated to be paid by the user's insurance company. In the instance where the township receives official notification from the insurance carrier that it will not honor the invoice, the township and/or any recognized fire company is authorized to invoice the responsible party directly and take any legal action necessary to collect the fee(s), including negotiating a settlement.
(2) The township, Antis Township Fire Company No. 1 and/or any recognized fire company may, at its discretion, write off the uncollected fee amounts as a bad debt, without prejudice to the responsible party.
(3) Should the township and/or any recognized fire company determine that an insurance carrier has remitted the fee to the responsible party involved and that the party has failed to remit the fee, the township and/or any recognized fire company are authorized to pursue all legal means and appropriate action in order to collect the account.
(Ord. 1-2020, passed 12-3-2020)