(A) Effective 1-1-2003, there is hereby imposed, monthly, an availability fee on each dwelling unit, commercial unit, business unit, public and governmental unit, and each separate location thereof, in the town to provide funds for the town to contract for the availability of ambulance and emergency medical services to residents and other persons residing in, or being within, the town.
(B) (1) Effective with all billings issued on or after 1-2-2003, the following monthly charges shall be collected and deposited by the Clerk-Treasurer in the Ambulance and Emergency Medical Services Fund:
(a) All dwelling units, commercial entities, business entities, public and governmental units, and each separate location thereof, in the town: $2.50;
(b) Manchester College: $850*;
(c) Timbercrest Church of the Brethren Home, Inc.: $1,400*; and
(d) Peabody Retirement Community: $1,700*.
(2) *These charges are based on an economic study of historical usage of ambulance and emergency medical services made by H. J. Umbaugh & Associated LLP of Plymouth, IN.
(C) (1) Each unit within the town, as per division (A) above, shall be subject to the applicable charge stated in division (B)(1) above, based upon a factual determination made and approved by the Town Council.
(2) Charges billed under this section shall be billed, collected and deposited in the Ambulance and Emergency Medical Services Fund.
(D) (1) A person or other entity subjected to the fee imposed under division (B)(1) above may appeal its liability for payment of the fees to the Town Council by filing with the Clerk-Treasurer, in writing, an objection to its inclusion and stating the reasons why it should not be subjected to the emergency ambulance services availability fee imposed by this section.
(2) The appeal shall be heard and considered by the Town Council at its next regularly scheduled meeting to be held ten days after the date the objection is filed, at which meeting the objector or its representative must be present for the appeal to be considered.
(3) The Town Council may grant exemption from the fee if the objector established facts that demonstrate that imposition of the fee is manifestly unreasonable as to the objector.
(E) Funds from the Ambulance and Emergency Medical Services Fund shall be collected by the office of the Clerk-Treasurer, along with late payment fees and penalties heretofore established for the applicable billing, and shall be disbursed under the same procedures and approval as provided by law for other utility funds; provided, however, ambulance and emergency medical services funds shall be used only for medical services, equipment or personnel directly related to emergency medical services.
(Prior Code, Title V, Ch. VII. Art. I) (Ord. passed 12-18-2002)