(A) The Township Supervisors, by and through their authority and relationship with Jerome Volunteer Fire Company, Conemaugh Township Volunteer Fire Department and Conemaugh Township EMS, Inc., hereby recognizes the authority and authorizes the aforesaid emergency service providers to recover the reasonable costs of firefighting materials, equipment, personnel hours and hazardous abatement materials involving any hazardous material incident, environmental incident or safety and rescue incident or operation, including vehicular accidents.
(B) Said reasonable costs as outlined above may be recovered directly by the emergency service providers, or through the township with the consent of the Supervisors, or by agreement with a collection agency provided such agreement is approved in advance by motion of the supervisors.
(C) In addition to the aforementioned reasonable costs, the aforesaid emergency service providers, township or collection agency, shall be authorized to collect legal interest of 6% per year, as well as a reasonable administrative fee for collecting the same and any and all additional fees as may be authorized by the Hazardous Material and Emergency Planning and Response Act, being 35 P.S. Ch. 29E or authorized by any other statute, case law or common law.
(D) Fees shall be submitted at least annually by the emergency service providers to the Board of Supervisors for approval. Except for extraordinary situations involving charges that are not regularly incurred by the emergency services provider, only charges approved by motion at a public meeting shall be deemed reasonable an eligible for reimbursement.
(E) Emergency service recipients questioning the reasonableness or right to collect any charge may appeal the assessment to the Township Supervisors under provisions of the Pennsylvania Local Public Agency Law, within 30 days of receipt of the assessment. Failure to so appeal within 30 days shall constitute a waiver of the recipient’s right to contest the charge. Charges incurred hereunder may be collected directly by the emergency service provider at the District Magistrate’s office by prosecuting an action in the name of the township.
(Ord. 627, passed 12-20-2000)