Item 1: Future Ambulance Transport Funding

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As a pre-existing taxing authority, Lane Rural Fire/Rescue District has been able to augment its overall revenue with ambulance fees and FireMed revenue, but not to the extent that the ambulance service is fully self-supported; instead, the district annually levies funds as necessary to provide all of its services, in effect providing some support to the ambulance service with general tax monies. For FY09 this requirement is estimated to be between $400,000 and $500,000, or approximately one-third of the district’s total revenue. In February of this year, at the conclusion of a Joint Elected Officials summit regarding this issue, the formation of the Ambulance Transport System Joint Elected Officials Task Force was authorized. The attached report from the Task Force provides additional background and a series of recommendations, which are: 1.That all three jurisdictions remain prepared to allocate a level of General Fund support as necessary for the continued high-quality provision of this core service. 2.That the Eugene and Springfield City Councils authorize initial steps toward merger of their fire departments. 3.That exploration begins immediately of more sustainable public funding options. 4.That marketing of FireMed subscriptions be enhanced and expanded in an effort to generate additional revenues to lessen reliance on general fund tax support. 5.That the Lane County Board of Commissioners act immediately to reconfigure the boundaries of the county’s Ambulance Service Areas so as to provide for an urban-rural split between Eugene and Lane Rural Fire/Rescue. 6.That work proceed as rapidly as possible regarding provision of a regional mobile health care system, featuring tiered levels of response (and cost) available to patients depending on the nature of the emergency with a report to elected officials by the end of calendar year 2010. 7.That public ambulance service provider agencies continue to lobby the Oregon legislature and U.S. Congress for larger-scale long-term solutions. RELATED CITY POLICIES City of Eugene Value #1: Safe community. City of Eugene Value #5: Fair, stable, and adequate financial resources. Springfield City Council 5-Year Goal #1: Provide financially sound, stable city government. Springfield City Council 5-Year Goal #2: Utilize resources efficiently and effectively to meet citizen needs for core services. Springfield City Council 5-Year Goal #5: Enhance public safety in Springfield. Springfield City Council 5-Year Goal #7: Partner with citizens and other public agencies to leverage resources. ELECTED OFFICIAL OPTIONS Elected officials are at liberty to adopt any or all of the recommendations presented by the Ambulance Transport System Joint Elected Officials Task Force. Adoption may be by the full JEO group or by the individual governing bodies of affected jurisdictions, as appropriate. Z:\CMO\2009 Council Agendas\M091207\S0912071.doc