Agenda - 12-06-2004-5f - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: December 6, 2004 Action Agenda n Item No. Cj -t` SUBJECT: EMS and Rescue Franchise Agreements (First Reading) DEPARTMENT: Emergency Management/ County Attorney PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): Proposed Franchise Agreements b,y Ordinance (under separate cover) INFORMATION CONTACT: Jack Ball or Kent McKenzie, ext 3030 Sean Borhanian, 732-2196 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To consider approving, on first reading, proposed ambulance franchise agreements by ordinance for the two active volunteer rescue squads in the County. BACKGROUND: Orange EMS and Rescue Squad, Incorporated and Technical Rescue Services, Incorporated have submitted applications to Orange County staff to be awarded franchises to perform certain emergency medical and rescue services. The Orange County EMS, Rescue, and First Responder Franchise Ordinance (reissued April 20, 1993) requires that organizations which provide Emergency Medical Services (EMS) or Rescue services be franchised by the County to engage in those activities. North Carolina law establishes a public hearing notice/scheduling requirement related to the granting of ambulance franchises. The purpose of the public hearing is to help the BOCC find if the franchise is "necessary to assure the provision of adequate and continuing ambulance service and to preserve, protect, and promote the public health, safety, and welfare." Once the BOCC makes this finding, it can permit the franchise by ordinance. NCGS §153A-46 provides that "no ordinance making a grant, renewal, extension, or amendment of any franchise may be finally adopted until it has been passed at two regular meetings of the board of commissioners" and that "no such grant, renewal, extension, or amendment may be made except by ordinance." The required public hearing was held on November 16, 2004. Staff explained at that time that prior to January 2000, there had been two separate franchised rescue squads in Orange County: Orange County Rescue Squad in Hillsborough and South Orange Rescue Squad in Carrboro. Each of these agencies was franchised by the Commissioners to provide Emergency Medical and Rescue services. In January 2000, the two squads merged to form one agency, Orange EMS & Rescue Squad, Incorporated. Orange County continued to contract with this merged agency to provide EMS and Rescue Services.