[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of South Strabane as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 8-29-2023 by Ord. No. 3-2023]
This article shall be titled the "The South Strabane Township Mitigation Rates Ordinance of 2023."
The purpose of this article is to establish and implement a program to charge mitigation rates for the deployment of emergency and non-emergency services provided by the fire department for services provided/rendered by/for the South Strabane Fire and Emergency Service.
South Strabane Township Department of Fire and Emergency Services shall initiate mitigation rates for the delivery of emergency and non-emergency services by the department for personnel, supplies and equipment to the scene of emergency and non-emergency incidents as described in Exhibit A.[1] The mitigation rates shall be based on the actual cost of services which are the Usual, Customary, Reasonable (UCR) as shown in the Township's Comprehensive Fee Schedule which may include any services, personnel, supplies and equipment with baselines established during the annual review of the Comprehensive Fee Schedule by the Township.
[1]
Editor's Note: Exhibit A is on file in the Township offices.
A claim shall be filed to the responsible party(s) through their respective insurance carrier. In some circumstances the responsible party(s) will be billed directly. Residents of South Strabane Township will not be billed for any service rendered by the South Strabane Fire and Emergency Service with the exception of incidents involving illegal fires.
The South Strabane Township Board of Supervisors may make rules and/or regulations from time to time which amend, revoke, or add rules and regulations which may not be consistent with this article. The aforesaid may be done when the Township deems it necessary or expedient in respect to billing for these mitigation rates and/or collection thereof.
The mitigation rates for those services listed in the Township's Comprehensive Fee Schedule may increase by 7.1% annually or based upon the annual percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the State of Pennsylvania as prepared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor whichever is more. The Township reserves the right to modify the mitigation rates by resolution of the Board of Supervisors. The Township Board of Supervisors will review the appropriate items as set forth in this section on an annual basis no later than February of each year.
In the event that the obligor fails to pay the mitigation rate as set forth in this article the Township is hereby authorized to commence the appropriate civil action in order to effectuate a recovery of the same and may utilize the offices of the local District Justice or the Civil Division of the Court of Common Pleas of Washington County, Pennsylvania, in order to effectuate a recovery of the cost of the tools, equipment and materials, proper interest and court costs.