Title
Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Execute a Third Amendment to the Emergency Medical Services First Responder Advanced Life Support and Ambulance Transport Service Agreement with the County of Alameda to Extend the Agreement to April 30, 2017, with Two Possible Extensions that would Extend the Agreement to October 31, 2017. (Fire 3200)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jill Keimach, City Manager
Re: Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Execute a Third Amendment to the November 1, 2011, Emergency Medical Services First Responder Advanced Life Support and Ambulance Transport Service Agreement with the County of Alameda
BACKGROUND
Alameda County contracts with the City of Alameda to provide Advanced Life Support (ALS) and Ambulance Transport Services. The original Ambulance and Paramedic Provider Agreement between the City and County was executed on December 14, 1999. It has been replaced by subsequent agreements.
The current agreement between the City and Alameda County was adopted by the City Council on October 18, 2011 and went into effect November 1, 2011. It will expire on October 31, 2016. The County has proposed extending the current agreement while a new agreement is being negotiated. An extension is necessary in order for the Fire Department to continue providing basic life support, advanced life support and ambulance transport services to the community while negotiations for a replacement agreement continue.
DISCUSSION
The amendment will extend the current agreement to April 30, 2017. This will allow the Fire Department to continue providing emergency medical services under the terms of the current agreement. The County will have the unilateral right to extend this term through two additional extensions of three-months each upon a vote of the Board of Supervisors. The first such extension would extend the term to July 31, 2017 and the second extension would extend the term to October 31, 2017.
The First Responder Advanced Life Support (FRALS) subsidy paid to the City for each paramedic first responder unit shall be increased by 3% while the amendment is in effect.
All other terms and conditions of the current agreement will remain in full force and effect.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The cost of providing this service is funded through the Emergency Medical Services District special tax which was approved by the Alameda County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) on July 14, 2011.
The FRALS subsidy the City receives shall be increased by 3% for the period of November 1, 2016 through October 31, 2017. Of this increase, 1% will be set aside in an account created by the County for eventual increases in the number of FRALS units or other projects that enhance Fire EMS response. The remaining 2% of the increase will be forgone by the City in order to pay down a historical debt outlined in section 11 of the agreement.
The City of Alameda’s total debt owed to Alameda County is $3,621,887 for services provided to the City by the Alameda County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) District from FY 05/06 through FY 09/10. The debt was a result of the City not becoming a member of the EMS District until 2011. Due to this, the EMS District Special Tax was not collected during that time period.
When the 2011 agreement was executed, the City agreed to contribute the amount equivalent to the amount that would have been generated by the EMS District Special Tax. The debt balance ending October 31, 2016 will be $2,513,587. The debt is estimated to be paid in full in 2028.
The City’s annual assessment is paid in quarterly installments. During the term of the Agreement Extension, the FRALS quarterly subsidy of $49,684 shall be used to pay down the debt. A total of $198,735 will be put towards the outstanding debt during the term of the agreement should the extension cover a full year.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
There is no Municipal Code/policy document cross-reference.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action is not a project for the purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under CEQA Guidelines section 10561(b)(3) as there is no possibility that this action may have a significant effect on the environment.
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the City Manager to execute a third amendment to the November 1, 2011, Emergency Medical Services First Responder Advanced Life Support and Ambulance Transport Service Agreement with the County of Alameda.
Respectfully submitted,
Doug Long, Fire Chief
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Elena Adair, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Services Agreement
2. 1st Amendment to Services Agreement
3. 2nd Amendment to Services Agreement
4. 3rd Amendment to Services Agreement