(a) The City hereby establishes a special non- reverting capital fund for the purpose of maintaining revenues received from Carmel Ambulance Services and the Hamilton County Emergency Medical Services Tax for the purpose of acquiring and/or replacing capital improvements and equipment necessary to maintain paramedic, emergency ambulance and fire service (hereinafter referred to as the “Paramedic, Emergency Ambulance and Fire Service Capital Fund”), to be administered and maintained by the City as hereinafter set forth:
(1) The Capital Fund will be funded from revenues provided by Carmel Ambulance Services as a result of the City's administration of the paramedic and emergency ambulance services and from monies received from the Hamilton County Emergency Medical Service Tax;
(2) The funds held in the Capital Fund shall be accounted for and maintained separate and apart from other City funds and invested with interest thereon deposited into the Capital Fund as provided by law;
(3) The funds held and accounted for in the Capital Fund shall be withdrawn only:
a) Upon proper appropriation by the legislative body of the City;
b) Upon written agreement between the City and Clay Township authorizing expenditures; and
c) For the purpose of making capital expenditures supporting paramedic, emergency ambulance and fire service;
(4) Capital equipment and improvements acquired from the funds held in the Capital Fund shall be titled in the name of the City and/or the Township as set forth in written agreement between the City and the Township at the time of expenditure; and
(5) At such time as the City terminates its administration of paramedic and ambulance services and/or the City and Township do not provide paramedic and ambulance services or fire protection services to Clay Township as a whole by joint agreement, all unexpended funds maintained in the Capital Fund shall be distributed to the City and to the Township based upon the City and Township's proportionate monetary contribution toward fire protection of Clay Township under prior Contracts for Fire and Protection between the City and the Township.
(b) The life of the Paramedic, Emergency Ambulance and Fire Service Fund shall be perpetual unless terminated by subsequent ordinance duly enacted by the City legislative body. (Ord. D-1042, 4-18-94; Ord. D-1180, 9-18-95)
(c) (1) The Carmel Fire Department is authorized, pursuant to Indiana law, to provide emergency medical services.
a) The Carmel Fire Department is authorized to provide emergency medical services and charge fees from citizens who benefit from said services in the amount of $475.00 for basic life support service for Carmel residents, $675.00 for basic life support for non-Carmel residents, $575.00 for advanced life support I for Carmel residents, $775.00 for advanced life support I for non-Carmel residents, $700.00 for advanced life support II for Carmel residents, $900.00 for advanced life support II for non- Carmel residents and $375.00 for advanced life support non- transport, as well as $12.00 per loaded mile, within the terms and meanings of the Indiana Emergency Medical Act and other applicable law.
b) In the event changes in Medicare or other federal or state health care regulations require or allow an adjustment to current charges set forth hereinabove, the Fire Chief is authorized to adjust the same, such adjustments to take effect on the calendar date immediately following the date on which written notice of said adjustments is hand delivered or mailed by the Fire Chief by U.S. Certified mail, return receipt requested, to the Mayor, Clerk, Common Council President and Corporation Counsel.
c) Annual COLA Increase. On January 1 of each year, beginning in 2017, a 3% Cost of Living Adjustment shall be added to the previous year’s rates and charges. This 3% increase shall occur automatically each year unless and until such time that the Carmel City Council amends or adjusts the percentage of the COLA increase for the next fiscal year.
d) The cost-of-living adjustment for emergency medical services fees charged by the Carmel Fire Department in 2023 shall be 8.75%.
(2) Said funds shall be placed into the non-reverting fund established in subsection (a) above. (Ord. D-1184, 10-2-95)
(3) The Carmel Fire Department is authorized to collect fees for its ambulance and emergency medical treatment runs.
(4) In the event such fees are not paid after Carmel Fire Department has exhausted its collection procedures, then the City Attorney will be notified for a determination as to whether to pursue collection of such fees by initiating litigation or other collection efforts on behalf of the Carmel Fire Department.
(5) Service fees for ambulance and emergency medical treatment runs may be deemed uncollectible and the appropriate adjustment made to the Carmel Fire Department and City financial records, upon a determination by the City Attorney that:
a) The person receiving such ambulance and/or emergency medical treatmentservices died without insurance, an estate or surviving relatives responsible for the debt;
b) The person receiving such ambulance and/or emergency medical treatment services cannot be located despite reasonable attempts to do so;
c) The person receiving such ambulance and/or emergency medical treatment services has filed for bankruptcy protection, has listed the City as a creditor regarding such services and has obtained a discharge of such debt by the bankruptcy court;
d) The collection of the debt is otherwise not economically justified under the circumstances.
(6) All service fees for the provision of ambulance and/or emergency medical treatment services by the Carmel Fire Department that are deemed to be uncollectible hereunder must be reported to the Board of Public Works and Safety on an annual basis.
(`91 Code, § 2-101) (Ord. D-1528-01, 8-6-01; Ord. D-1569-02, § 2, 5-20-02; Ord. D-2067-11, 11-7-11; Ord. D-2229-15, 10-5-15; Ord. D-2276-16, 1-4-16; Ord. D-2505-19, 12-16-19; Ord. D-2616-22, 2-7-22; Ord. D-2664-23, § 2, 2-6-23)