(A) Service district. Prior to accepting applications for the operation of a service, the Board of Commissioners may designate specific service areas as franchise districts. The districts will be established using criteria that include geographic size, road access, and the location of existing medical transportation services, population, and response time. The county shall have the authority to redistrict or rearrange existing districts at any time at their discretion.
(B) Type of application. An applicant may apply for a franchise to operate either emergency, non-emergency, convalescent transportation, or any combination of the aforementioned services. If a franchise owner desires to provide more than one service, then separate applications are required for each requested service.
(C) Hearing. Upon receipt of an application for a franchise, the county shall schedule a time and place for hearing the applicant(s) request(s). Within 30 days after hearing, the county shall cause the investigation as it may deem necessary to be made of the applicant and his or her proposed operations.
(D) Granting franchise. A franchise may be granted if the county finds that:
(1) The applicant shows that he or she meets federal, state, and local standards outlined in the franchise ordinance;
(2) The proposed service will fit within the existing service so as not to adversely affect the level of service or operations of other franchises to render service;
(3) A need exists for the proposed service in order to improve the level of pre-hospital emergency medical services available to residents of the county and that this is a reasonable and cost effective manner of meeting the need.
(Ord. passed 10-6-2003)