08/11/1975 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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I. carrying a person in a wheelchair, and the care needed when lifting a person from a wheelchair to a vehicle. Mr. Leonard commented on the possiblity of funds being cut off after the service was started, leaving those persons depending upon it with no transportation. He felt the money allocated to Associated Consultants might better be granted to LTD for their proposed chair lifts and related service to accommodate -- the disabled. He also noted transportation now being provided by his firm to voca- tional rehabilitation facilities on a contract basis, based on rates of the same type services in other communities. Further. Mr. Leonard felt the issue of whether invalid and wheelchair coach licensing requirements met the code should be reviewed. There appeared to be no requirement in the proposed ordinance for insurance. performance bond, or list of equipment. Nor had there been shown any certification that the present ambulance services were not meeting the needs of the community. He added that his firm had followed a policy of not charging for medical transportation when it was needed by those who could not afford it. that last year his books showed more than $75,000 spent in serving indigent and handicapped people who were not able to pay. '. Councilman Murray asked for clarification of the door-to~doorservice as opposed to curb-to-curb service proposed by Associated Consultants. Mr. VanHouten answered that they did kot plan to provide any medical transportation, nor transportation for,the , very feeble such as going into a home and putting a person from bed into a wheelchair. If a person in a wheelchair needed help getting downt steps or out to the vehicle, he said that help would be provided. Public hearing was closed. there being no further testimony presented. Manager explained that before issuance of a license for an invalid or wheelchair coach service, the applicant would be required to furnish proof of sufficient liability in- surance and a bond. He said that if the proposed amendment was adopted at t~is time, it would be necessary to set rates. Associated Consultants proposed charging for the first six months $1.00 per mile per passenger per actual miles traveled. e Councilman Bradley wondered if it would be more appropriate to draft a specific licens- ing section dealing with invalid and wheelchair coach regulation? rather than amending the ordinance. His concern was with definition of the word "emergency" and differen- tiating between an emergency vehicle and an ambulance. Neither were defined in the code, he said. Stan Long, assistant city attorney, read the section of the code setting out the definition of an ambulance. He explained that the amendment would change the code only with respect to invalid coaches engaged in transporting invalids but without first aid equipment, flashing lights. or siren. An emergency ambulance would have the first aid equipment and use lights and siren in transporting persons because of illness or injury, and an attendant would be required in addition to the driver. In further response to Councilman Bradley, Mr. Long said there were only two types of vehicles - invalid coaches and emergency ambulances; the amendment as proposed would suffice the legislative intent; use of the word "emergency" in the amendment made it clear that only emergency vehicles would require an attendant in addition to the driver. Council Bill No. 919 - Amending Cide Code Section 3.140 re Invalid Coach Operation was read by council bill number and title only, there beihg no council member present requesting that it be read in full. Mr. Murray moved second by Mr. Keller that the bill be read the second time by I-B-4 council bill number only, with unanimous consent of the Council, and that enact- ment be considered at this time. In making the motion for second reading, Mr. Murray commented that the proposed service e would meet a long-standing need in the community that LTD apparently would not be able to provide for some time. Mayor Anderson added that in the instances he had met with the Committee on Limited Mobility, inexpensive and accessible transportation had been one of the major concerns. He thought it a "feather in the hat" for that committee to have one of its proposals come before the Council for local assistance. 8/11/75 - 6 ~3