Agenda - Council - 01/27/1987 - Laserfiche WebLink

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10 Minutes CASE ~28: By~ Noel Graczyk, Flnanoe Offioer Background Presently the City provides fir fire and rescue services by retaining the services of the City of Elk Rtuer and the Anoka-Champlin Joint Fire Board. The contracts are on ~ reta~er bar,is with billable fees for actual fire calls that are billed directly to the City.r It has been the policy of the (i~y to bill the property owner or party that received the benefit of the fi~e or rescue servioe. Not all bills received by the City are billable, and t'qu~ some of the charges to the City are paid directly by the City. When the City does bill for ~ fire call, an invoice is sent to the party determined to have received th~ f~r~fit of the service. It is difficult to prepare an invoice for cases st'ch as the one enclosed concerning Mr. Timothey Guy Gorsuch who was killed in ~in accident on I~ighway ~10 N~ in the City of Ramsey. The bills for the remcvaJ of the dead body was $500.00. The Anoka bill and police, report are also e~%closed for review. After the bill is received by the benefiting party, they are to provide palarent to the City. Thi~'. payment is often delayed because the party is awaiting an insurance payment~ Collection of the bill may also be delayed because of disputes between property oaners (~ncerning who's property was involved, who made the call, or who's childern were involved with starting the fire. The City also receives letters frc~, billed parties such as the one from Ms. Ruth Riewe, enclosed for review~ stating either their dissatisfaction with the City policy or statJ, ng their inability to pay. Currently the City is maki~ an initial billing on fire calls that are charged to the City. t{gwever, follow-u? billings on invoices that are delinquent has not been possible~ After a bill has gone delinquent, it has been very difficult for the City to try to oollect the receivable. ~e City is thus already paying for uncollected fire calls since_ the City was u:~able to oollect from the billed party. In addition to the above enclos~res, also included for your information is a table that will provide some high'cory a~g to the cost billed to the City for fire calls. ~tion: It is advised that the Ci.ty Cot~,.cill discuss changing the policy for collection of fire bills. ]t is recommended that the City retain the full cost and disoontinue the policy of bil].i~g _Droperty ~ners or be~itillg parties. ~iew O~ckl ist.- Attorney ~i .. Engineer .... Cx~m~ty Develolx~mt Director .... Chief of Police Finance Officer Public Works Superintendent Other