Whitefish studies higher nonresident ambulance fees
A proposal to raise ambulance fees for out-of-city residents who live in the Whitefish Fire Department service area will be considered tonight by the Whitefish City Council.
The fires service area encompasses about 100 square miles outside Whitefish. Historically, fees for ambulance service have been the same for in-city and out-of-city residents, but this year the ambulance fund came up short. A $237,142 projected shortfall in service fee revenue was balanced by a general fund transfer.
A rate analysis determined that just over $1 million of service fee revenue would be needed to support the fund, but the current budget estimates fee revenue at $810,000.
"This study indicates that nonresidents place a greater demand on the system than [city] residents by a ratio of two to one," Fire Chief Tom Kennelly said in a staff report. "Yet the burden of providing the availability costs for the system falls squarely on city taxpayers under the current rate structure."
As a matter of fairness, a $200 increase for nonresidents has been proposed. If approved, city residents would pay $700 for a basic life-support call while nonresidents would pay $900. The higher fees also apply to more expensive advanced life-support calls and calls where service is provided without transport.
The new rates are expected to bring in an estimated $54,419 for the current fiscal year.
In other council business:
A public hearing to consider changes to the critical areas ordinance has been postponed because the Whitefish City-County Planning Board didn't have a quorum at its November meeting and thus was unable to make any recommendations.
Two other public hearings include a resolution adopting updated regulations for the city's water, wastewater and garbage utility, and a resolution to establish fees to process encroachment permits.
Parks and Recreation Director Karl Cozad will give an update on the Whitefish Trail project.
The council will hold a work session from 6:30 to 7 p.m. to explore the feasibility of a parking deck above the BNSF lot north of the O'Shaughnessy Center.
The regular meeting begins at 7:10 p.m.; both meetings are at Whitefish City Hall.