A. Definitions:
NONRESIDENT: Any person who does not currently reside within the boundaries of the city of Taylorville or the Taylorville fire protection district.
SERVICES: Fire protection, emergency medical and/or rescue services and/or water recovery and/or hazardous material spills and/or any situation where the fire department service is requested.
B. Services Agreement: Other than pursuant to the city of Taylorville's (city's) agreement for fire protection services and emergency medical and/or rescue services with the Taylorville fire protection district (district), the city is not required to supply any firefighting services and/or fire protection services and/or medical and/or rescue services outside the corporate limits of the city. Upon rendering said services inside, or outside the corporate limits of the city or of the boundary limits of the Taylorville fire protection district, to nonresidents of the district/city, it is anticipated the city will recoup fees from those services.
Excepting any mutual aid agreement or MABAS, all firefighting services and/or fire protection services and/or medical and/or rescue and/or emergency services provided by the city's fire department inside or outside the corporate limits of the city, or inside and/or outside the boundary limits of the Taylorville fire protection district shall be provided only upon the condition that the fees set forth herein for such services are charged, levied, and collected in the manner set forth herein.
For purposes hereof, firefighter services and fire protection services shall also include, but are not limited to, responding to and/or cleaning up and/or removal and/or any remedial action regarding any and all spillage or release, or any and all threats or risks of a spillage or release, of any and all hazardous wastes and/or materials and/or chemicals, emergency medical services including ambulance transports (section 4-1-15 of this chapter), and the following services when provided to nonresidents of the city or district: motor vehicle fire suppression, nonresident collision or accident response, auto extrication, and vehicle water recovery services.
C. Fees And Charges: The fees and charges for such firefighting service and/or fire protection service and/or medical and/or rescue and/or emergency service shall be fixed, charged, and collected at the following rates:
1. One hundred twenty five dollars ($125.00) for each hour or part thereof for each city firetruck or fire vehicle or rescue truck or rescue vehicle dispatched and/or recalled for such firefighting service and/or fire protection service and/or medical and/or rescue and/or emergency service.
2. Thirty five dollars ($35.00) for each hour or part thereof for each city full time or volunteer fireman dispatched and/or recalled for such firefighting service and/or fire protection service and/or medical and/or rescue and/or emergency service.
3. All hourly fees shall be rounded to the nearest one-fourth (1/4) hour with the time calculated from the time that each such truck or vehicle and each such personnel are dispatched from the city's fire station for such service(s) until such truck(s), vehicle(s), and personnel return to the city's fire station from providing such service(s).
4. In addition to such hourly rate fees, a charge shall be levied to reimburse the city for extraordinary expenses of materials used in rendering such service(s).
5. Notwithstanding the above, there shall be assessed a minimum charge of four hundred dollars ($400.00) for each motor vehicle collision or accident and/or for each hazardous waste incident and/or chemical spill incident; and a minimum charge of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) for each motor vehicle fire call not incidental to a motor vehicle collision or accident, and any vehicle water recovery incidents.
6. A five hundred dollar ($500.00) charge shall be assessed for any nonresident accident that requires extrication services.
7. The fee for nonemergency standby service to any commercial enterprise shall be seventy five dollars ($75.00) per hour with the exception of special events authorized by the fire chief.
8. Emergency service fees shall be evaluated on an annual basis and adjusted if deemed necessary by the city of Taylorville emergency services committee.
9. All such fees and charges shall be due and payable to the city on or before the thirtieth calendar day following the date of the city's statement for such fees and charges and there shall be assessed and collected interest on the unpaid balance of such charges from time to time computed at the annual percentage rate of eighteen percent (18%) for each day thereafter until such statement of fees and charges is fully paid.
10. The billing for such fees and charges shall be done by the city of Charleston under the current intergovernmental agreement. The city's fire chief shall promptly report to the city of Charleston the detail of services, the name and address of the owner(s) and/or occupant(s) of the property and/or the name and address of the person(s), business(es), or other entity(ies) for whom such services were rendered, the amount of fees and charges due hereunder, and the name and address of any applicable accident, casualty, or fire insurance company for such owner(s) and/or occupant(s) and/or person(s) and/or business(es) and/or entity(ies) if identified to the fire chief.
11. Each owner, occupant, person, business, and other entity who receives the benefit of such firefighting services and/or fire protection services, and/or medical and/or rescue and/or emergency services and/or who owned or operated or occupied a vehicle involved in a motor vehicle collision or accident or in a motor vehicle fire or in vehicle water recovery incident, shall be liable, jointly and severally, to the city to pay and shall pay for such firefighting services and/or fire protection services, and/or medical and/or rescue and/or emergency services in accordance with the rate of fees and charges set forth in this section. Such statement of fees and charges shall be billed directly to such owner(s), occupant(s), person(s), business(es) or other entity(ies), with a copy to any identified applicable accident, casualty, or fire insurance company providing insurance coverage for such person(s), business(es) or other entity(ies).
12. Each such owner, occupant, person, business, and other entity shall be further liable, jointly and severally, to the city and shall further pay the city's reasonable attorney fees and expenses and costs, including, but not limited to, any applicable court costs, incurred in attempting and/or to realize collection of the amounts due under this section.
13. All funds collected hereunder shall be paid into the general corporate fund of the city.
14. Nothing herein shall operate to bar the city from any recovery of funds from or through any state and/or federal government, agency, or political subdivision under any applicable statute, regulation, or rule. (Ord. 3661, 3-17-2014)