Drafter
Clerk 7/5/2007
title
AN ORDINANCE adopting financial policies for the emergency medical services fund and creating emergency medical services task force.
body
PREAMBLE:
Adopted emergency medical services ("EMS") fund financial policies require maintenance of a multiyear financial plan and cash flow projections for the six years funded by the EMS levy, based on estimates of program growth, operating expenses including labor costs, and capital requirements, and also including actual rates of inflation and reserves for the fund. The EMS financial policies will be reviewed annually by the operating budget, fiscal management and mental health committee, or its successor, which may recommend policy changes to guide the six-year EMS financial plan.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. EMS financial audit. The county auditor shall conduct an annual audit of the county programs funded by this levy, comparing actual revenues, expenditures and reserves to those amounts specifically identified in the financial plan adopted by the council each year during the budget process including the roles of: inflation; population growth; call volume; labor agreements and new labor costs; fuel expenses; vehicle maintenance and replacement; and the regional subsidy needed for local basic life safety program in support of emergency medical services ("EMS"). The audit report shall be submitted to the council by September 30 of each year, beginning in 2009. The report must be filed in the form of 13 copies with the clerk of the council, who shall retain the original and forward copies to each councilmember, the county executive and to the lead staff for the operating budget, fiscal management and mental health committee, or its successor. Consistent with Seattle's separate program described in Proposed Ordinance 2007-0282, Section 2, the city of Seattle will submit reports of the city's program on the same schedule to the manager of the Seattle-King County department of public health - EMS division.
SECTION 2. Audit funding. It is the intent of the council that funds designated in the "King County Auditor's Office" expenditure line of the emergency medical services levy financial plan shall be expended to support the county's financial audit costs under section 1 of this ordinance.
SECTION 3. EMS financial policy - grants. It is intent of the council that grant funding from both state and federal sources shall be pursued to support the EMS program, particularly for capital needs. Grants shall be reviewed to determine if funding is predictable from year to year for future EMS revenue assumptions. Any operating grants that obligate the EMS program to fund future services shall be reviewed in cash-flow planning each year so future local funding requirements are an integral part of the financial and service plan.
SECTION 4. A. A new advisory task force, to be called the emergency medical services advisory task force is hereby established with the goal of developing interjurisdictional agreement on an updated emergency medical services strategic plan and financing package for the next levy funding period.
B. The emergency medical services advisory task force shall be composed of: the King County executive; the director of the department of public health; the manager of the emergency medical services division; the regional medical director of the emergency medical services division; the city of Seattle medical director; each member of the county council or his or her designee; the county auditor or his or her designee; one representative from each city with a population of 50,000 or greater; three representatives from King County fire districts, of which one must represent unincorporated King County; four representatives from cities with populations under 50,000 ; a representative of a private ambulance company; a representative of a regional communications center; two representatives from one or more nonpartisan civic organizations such as the Municipal League or the League of Women Voters and a representative of a bargaining unit providing basic or advanced life support. Members from cities with populations under 50,000 shall be appointed by the Suburban Cities Association in a manner reflecting geographic distribution within King County and shall not be subject to confirmation. Members from fire districts, a private ambulance company, a regional communications center, one or more nonpartisan civic organizations and a representative of a bargaining unit shall be appointed by the executive and confirmed by the council by motion. Staff and officials from cities and districts in addition to the formal membership are encouraged to participate but shall not vote on any recommendations of the task force.
SECTION 5. The role of the emergency medical services advisory task force shall be to ensure continued emergency medical service for King County by reviewing issues and options and by developing recommendations for the next strategic plan to be submitted to the executive and the council by September 15, 2012. The proposed strategic plan shall be prepared by the county executive and submitted to the council by January 1, 2013. The proposed plan shall consider the recommendations of the advisory task force and shall evaluate, but not be limited to:
A. The maintenance of the existing infrastructure of paramedic (Medic One) services;
B. Sufficient funding for new paramedic units that may be needed to maintain existing levels of services and keep pace with the growing demand on the system due to trends in call volume, response times and anticipated increases in the age of the population in the region;
C. Reasonable support for basic life support (BLS) services;
D. Operational and medical support programs provided by the Seattle-King County department of public health - EMS division that emphasize uniformity in medical care, proper training, and medical quality assurance; and
E. Development of a financial plan for the levy period using appropriate
econometric data, including assessed valuation and inflation assumptions related to the program areas highlighted in the Medic One/EMS strategic plan.