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August 14, 1989 Vol. 25, Page 133
1 ~ `1VI~INiTTES ®F A I~EG~ULAR:ADJOiTRNED MEETING :'
. 2 ~ PETALUMA CITY COIJIVCIL .
3 ~ MONDAY, AUGUST 14,1989 '
4 7:00 p.m. ROLL CALL
5 PRESENT: Tencer, Woolsey, Cavanagh, Balshaw, Davis, Vice Mayor Sobel,
6 - '. Mayor Hilligoss
7 ABSENT: None
8 PUBLIC COMMENT
9 , ~~~ Gene .Peal spoke in agreement with the Fire Chief proposal to ban safe
- to and sane fireworks over a two or three year period of time. He also
' 11 commented on the new pedestrian bridge spanntng, the Petaluma River at
12 the foot of'Western Avenue noting the City could be "nailed" for lack of a
13 barrier to keep people from walking on top of each. span. _ _
14 COUNCIL COMMENTS:
15 - Michael Davis - VVhat° is the time line for the turning pocket at the
16 intersection of Washington and Petaluma Blvd. North.
17 - Larry Tencer -Suggested the City write a letter to the North Bay
18 Advisory Committee :for BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit). Asked that
19 the item be placed- on an agenda for the Council to go on record
20 opposing .BART. in Sonoma County.
21 - Mayor Hilligoss -noted the landscaping along Lakeville Highway
22 will be taken care of by .CALTRANS.
23 CONSENT CALENDAR
24 The following item was introduced by Lynn Woolsey, seconded by Vice
25 Mayor Sobel.
26 AYES: Tencer, Woolsey, Cavanagh,. Balshaw, Davis,
27 Vice Mayor Sobe1,lVlayor Hilligoss
28 NOES: None
29 ABSENT: None
3o RES®. 89-253 NCS
31 POLICE MOU
32 Reso. 89-253 NCS ratifying the Memorandum of Understanding for
33 employees in Unit 6 -Police.
34 Recess to Study Session
35 DISCUSSION OF SAFE AND SANE FIREWORKS
36 Fire Chief Terry Krout advised the City Council that the Fire Chiefs of
37 Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa, Sebastopol; Cloverdale and Chief Krout
38 support a total; ban of safe and sane: fireworks in the County of Sonoma
39 by 1992. Each time an updated Fire Code is adopted, these cities modify
4o the Uniform Fire Code ban of fireworks to allow the sale of 'safe and
41 sane' fireworks during the week prior to the Fourth of July. Fireworks
42 sales are banned in the cities of Cotati, Healdsburg, and Sonoma, as well
43 as Mendocino,~Marn, Sonoma, and Napa counties (exception cities of St.
44 Helena and Calistoga).
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Page 134, Vol. 25
August 14, 1989
1 The non-profit agencies that obtained permission to have 'safe and sane' -
2 fireworks sales in 1989 are the Amerrcan ..Field Service, Montessori
3 Children's House, Parent's Club,. Petaluma Community Guild,;-Petaluma
4 School of Ballet, :Petaluma Swim Club, and Petaluma Valley Little
5 •.. . ;League. The Fire Chief s proposal to phase he fireworks prohibition, to ~ ~ .
6 `the year 1992 will- allow those organizati''ons time to develop a ~d'ifferext-
7 means of fund raising as replacement for the- fireworks 'sales.
._,~.
s ` ~ T g~C~unci~ .was di~ic~edn ~he~: i"s~ue~,~Afeer a lengthy discussion, ~f:was .
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9 su es e`~~he i~~t er`~e re ei'r`e~ i~o ~t~ie vo~ers"~a~ a ture election
lo'. AlVIBULANCE ~ f '. . , - - .
11 SERVICE AREA AND RATE I)ISC><JSSION ., - ~.-
12 Fire Chief Terry Krout requested-Council drection'regarding;alternatives
13 for future funding .of the ambulance service., He reported -the City has
14 provided' various levels of ambulance service for the Petaluma and. the
15 surrounding community (165 square miles) for `over 35 :years., The levels
16 of service have: evolved' from., joint Fire aril Police Department manning
17 furnishing 'basic first. aid (early 1950's), to the current provision of
is Advanced Life Support by members of, the Fire' Department. The
19 public's -need for this service has, increased. to the point that a, second
20 Advanced Life Support ambulance was placed in service to address the
21 volume of .citizen requests for such .service. The. method of manning, this
22 ambulance also provides the City with augmentation of fire 'suppression
23 and hazardous materials handling and business=inspections.
24 Chief Krout noted the ambulance service .has been opeated: as an
25 'enterprise, system' since 198'.1, and ambulance use fees: have funded the
26 'enterprise system'. The most recent fee increase Ewa"s appproved in July of
27 1988. Those rates -were developed to .offset the 1987/88 fiscal year. deficit
28 of $53,3.00 and "to bring the rates more into ,fine wiah the industry average..
29 It is estimated that costs have exceeded revenue by $118,700 for. the .fiscal
3o year ending Tune 30; 1989, and by June 30, 1990, -the deficit, will lie
31 approximately $386;200.. The cast increases are due . to normal
32 operational and personnel expenses and. the increase of 3 addit'ional'
33 paramedics and the-shift of ,personnel to man the second ambularce in
34 the 1988/89 fiscal year.:
35 An increase 'in ambulance rates to the level of the industry average will
36 .generate an estimated additional $70,000 n_ annual revenue. H.gwever,
37 the amount of .ambulance billing represented by Medicare (44.% of the
3s total ambulance billing} is $383;Q00 and of that $383;000, only $111,000
39 will be paid. by Medicare. The other ~a1ees' are Private Insurers. 17%,
4o Private parties 31%, miscellaneous medical and other payees 8%.
41 Call volume for-the fi989-,90 fiscal .year is estimated to be 2;3Q0 calls, Lt
42 would require a call volume of .approximately 2;900 calls per year (600.
43 mole than anticipated) and -the proposed rate increase to 'red'uce thee:
44 deficit to zero this fiscal year:
• -' n• :gip, r. ~.i. ~i rr, .
August 14, 1989 „Vol. 25, Page. 135
1 Alternatives he suggested include elimination of thee. provision:, for
2 ambulance service or reduction of the 'area. of service. The private
3 ambulance providers would not be able to offer as high a level of service
4 to the citizens as does the Petaluma Fite Department. The County of
5 Sonoma is contemplating 'the solicitation ' of Ypropos"als for franchising
6 ambulance service m specific areas.: of _Sonoma~'County including the City
7 of Petaluma.
8 Alternatives for maintaining the ambulance service by the Petaluma Fire
9 Department include continuance of the current method of operation with
to General Fund subsidy to the ambulance enterprise system; continue
11 current method of operation and ask the voters to approve a .special
12 assessment tax to cover the cost of 'free.' Advanced Life Support service;
13 or maintain the current method of operation and ask the voters to
14 approve a special.assessment tax to cover the entire. cost of both basic and
~s Advanced Life Support services.
16 The Council asked Chief Krout to schedule. the ambulance rate increase
17 on the next Council agenda. They also asked for additional information
is for a future Council discussion:
19 - Breakdown showing the cost of fire operations and
20 ambulance operations. specifically taking into consideration the
21 number of firefighters that would be on staff without the
22 ambulance.
23 - What the additional cost is for each trained ALS personnel.
24 - What is the breakdown of responses by need for ALS, first
25 aid, and other types of medical emergency and critical care calls.
26 - What the response time would be if there were only private
27 ambulance companies for emergencies.
28 - What is• the response time for Petaluma ambulance.
29 - What are other cities' costs in comparison to Petaluma's.
30 - How other jurisdictions fund their ALS.
31 - Is inflation built into their fees.
32 - How often does. the Fire Department call back personnel to
33 support this service.
34 - What suggestions staff may have to bill ambulance users
35 who are not City residents.
36 AI)JO~TRN'Th'e meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m.
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40 atricia i igoss, ay r
41 ATTEST:
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