It appears ambulance fees are going up.
On Tuesday, Bradford City Council passed on the first of two readings an amendment to the ambulance service ordinance increasing Bradford City Fire Department ambulance service fees. The amendment must be voted on a second time before it becomes law.
City officials had announced at the end of December their plan to increase ambulance rates — one of several changes made to help balance the 2019 budget and avoid raising taxes.
The monetary increases were outlined Tuesday in the proposed ordinance.
If the proposed amendment is passed, the all-inclusive Basic Life Support rate will be raised from $550 to $850, the all-inclusive rate for Advanced Life Support 1 will be raised from $700 to $1,100, and the all-inclusive rate for Advanced Life Support 2 will be raised from $900 to $1,350. Patients will pay an additional fee of $25 per mile, an increase from $12 per mile.
The all-inclusive rate for paramedic intercept services is set to increase from $475 to $575. The cost for motor vehicle accident or non-MVA dispatches with evaluation and possible treatment — currently $300 — and MVA or non-MVA dispatches with evaluation and administrations of drugs/oxygen — currently $350 — are set to be raised to $400 each.
Also at the meeting, council authorized the local Office of Economic and Community Development to advertise for bids for Phase I of the Main Street Streetscape Improvement project.
It was previously reported that Phase I will be streetscape improvements and paving between Mechanic Street and Festival Way. Work slated for 2019 includes work to the curbs, sidewalks, light poles, trees and decorative features. Paving for the Phase I section is expected to take place in 2020.
The project will be funded with a Community Development Block Grant and a state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant.
As it was the first regular council meeting of 2019, council also approved numerous appointments.
Council members will direct the following departments: Mayor Tom Riel, public affairs and OECD; Councilman Brad Mangel: director of accounts & finance; Councilman Tim Pecora, public safety/ambulance, building & health and planning & zoning; Councilman Dan Palmer, streets & public improvements and the department of sanitation (refuse); and Councilman Terry Lopus, director of parks & public property.
City Treasurer Karen Hector was named the primary voting delegate to the Tax Collection Committee, and Mangel was named the alternate voting delegate.
The following appointments were made to authorities, boards and commissions: Curt Wallace, five-year term, Board of Appeals; Michael Perkins, four-year term, Civil Service Commission; Matthew Hileman and Edward Wright, five-year terms, Downtown Bradford Business District Authority; Samila Sosic and Mike Cleveland, five-year terms, Historical Architectural Review Board; Riel, five-year term, Parking Authority; Dennis Stromberg, filling an unexpired five-year term, Parking Authority; Alex Caruso and Lee Ann Doynow, three-year terms, Planning Commission; Bob Esch and Ernest Clark, five-year terms, Bradford Sanitary Authority; Tom Arrowsmith, five-year term, Bradford City Water Authority; Ross Neidich and Ron Pautler, three-year terms, Zoning Hearing Board.
One five-year term on the Board of Appeals remains vacant. Also, the vacant seat on the Bradford Area Public Library Board was eliminated.
Council also voted on the sales of seven city of Bradford tax parcels from the McKean County Tax Repository.
Linda Allen was granted permission by the city to purchase two properties — 194 South Ave. and 38 York St. She must receive approval from the two other taxing bodies, the Bradford Area School Board and McKean County, before the sales can be finalized.
The sales of five other properties were declined under the advisement of the Code Enforcement and Property Maintenance departments, as they were deemed beyond the scope of renovations. Those properties are 112 Summer St., 48 Hobson St., 81 Williams St., 159 E. Main St. and 319 Jackson Ave.
The next regular council meeting is set for 7 p.m. Jan. 22.
