Minnetrista council considers billing for ‘lift-assist’ calls, asks staff to draft ordinance

City staff on Feb. 18 presented a draft approach that would let Minnetrista bill for non-transport emergency responses commonly called “lift assists,” and council members asked staff to prepare a draft ordinance for future review.

The proposal, described by staff member Doreen, drew on an ordinance used in Maple Plain and would allow the city to charge for certain non-transport assists that consume fire-department resources. Doreen told the council the Maple Plain language targets assisted-living facilities but said Minnetrista could tailor an ordinance to exempt or treat residential properties differently.

Council members questioned how billing would work across neighboring jurisdictions and whether it should be assessed per person or per facility. “We have to get a report from Mound,” Doreen said, noting that the city would rely on partner agencies’ incident reports to invoice residents or facilities. Councillors also raised fairness concerns: some supported a limited number of cost-free assists per calendar year for residents so occasional incidents would not generate charges.

Sample fee structures were discussed during the session. One council member suggested a tiered approach — for example, 1–3 assists free in a year, then a small per-call charge, with higher fees for repeated service calls — and staff noted assisted-living facilities could follow Maple Plain’s schedule while residential properties might use a different tier. The council discussed practical issues such as verifying which individual triggered a call, how insurance claims would interact with invoicing, and the administrative burden of monthly reporting from partner agencies.

There was no immediate vote. Staff offered to draft a municipal ordinance incorporating council guidance and return to a future work session, with a draft possible in March or April. Mayor Lisa Whalen opened the item and asked for council direction; Doreen said the item is not urgent but that some appetite exists to move forward with a framework.

The council did not adopt a policy at the meeting; the next formal step will be a staff-produced ordinance draft to be scheduled for further council review.