HomeMy WebLinkAboutFD-9-96,~~ ..
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THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON
DN: BUDGET.REP
REPORT
Meeting: Special General purpose and Administration Committee
Date: Friday, April 12, 1996
Report #: - File #:
Subject: FIRE DEPARTMENT USER FEES
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Res. # ~SS~'~~
By-Law #
Recommendations:
It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration
Committee recommend to Council the following:
1. THAT Report FD-9-96 be received; and
2. THAT the user fees for non-residents and false alarms be implemented as of
May 1, 1996.
1. BACKGROUND
1.1 At the meeting held on January 12, 1996 where the issue of user fees was
discussed it was recommended that information be obtained and a report
prepared in order to allow Council the opportunity to review the issue of user fees
for false alarms and the charging for services to non-residents.
1.2 With regards to the issue of false alarms, in 1994 the Clarington Fire Department
responded to 337 false alarms, in 1995 we responded to 305 false alarms. So far
in 1996 the department has responded to 39 false alarms up to the end of
February and it is anticipated this number could reach nearly 250 to 300 by the
end of the year. Many Municipalities have begun charging for false alarms
received from locations served by alarm companies. These alarms appear to be
the most frequent problem and it stems, in many cases, from poorly maintained
systems.
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Report FD-9-96 - 2
April 12, 1996
1.3 The intent of charging a user fee in these cases is to make it financially beneficial
to the owners of these facilities to repair their systems as they will be required to
pay a fine. In the long run the fines will, in some cases, add up to more than the
repairs to the systems, and therefore make it worthwhile to repair the systems.
1.4 The user fee for mm~ residents will be similar to the one presently imposed by the
Ministry of Transpprtation for fires and accidents on the 401 highway. These fees
are charged to non residents of the responding Municipality. These fees are
imposed by the MTO on the vehicle owners insurance company and paid to the
responding Municipality to cover their costs.
1.5 Since the Region has taken over Highway 2 we can no longer claim
reimbursement for calls to this area, which we previously could claim. It is
estimated this has cost the Municipality approximately $10,000 annually. These
funds were deposited into the Fire Department equipment reserve to cover the
costs of replacing equipment and vehicles. In future these funds will be required
to be covered tax Winless we can find some way of offsetting these costs. One way
being used by more and more Municipalities is the charging for emergency
responses on Murnicipal road cause by non residents.
2. COMMENTS:
2.1 The fees that would be charged for the types of responses previously mentioned
would be similar to those presently charged by the MOT. The costs, per vehicle
that responds, would be $300 per hour for the first hour and $120 for every
additional half hour.
399012:
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Report FD-9-96
2.2 In the case of fals~ alarms the fee would be charged to the owner of the building
and any fees not paid could be charged against the property owners taxes
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April 12, 1996
insuring the Municcipalities ability to collect.
2.3 The fees charged for non resident would be billed directly to the vehicle owners
insurance company. This is presently the practice in Municipalities such are
Uxbridge and had been very successful.
2.4 It is further recorlnmended that the fees for false alarms be credited to the
Municipalities general revenues, and the fees for non residents be credited to the
Fire Departments ',Equipment Reserve to fund future needs. These funds would
offset the lost reveinues from the Region taking over Highway 2 and eliminate the
need to depend an taxes to fund equipment and vehicle replacement.
3. RECOMMENDATIONS:
3.1 It is respectfully recommended that report FD-9-96 be received;
3.2 THAT the recommended user fees for fire department services be approved, and
commence May 1, 1996.
Respectfully submitted,
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Michael G. Creighto , AM (A), CMM1
Fire Chief
Reviewed by,
W. H. Stockwell
Chief Administrative
Officer
MGC/Ib
39901.3