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Council hears first reading of lift-assist fee to recover repeated nonemergency costs
Summary
City attorneys and the fire chief presented a first reading of an ordinance to charge a $500 fee for lift-assist calls beyond six per calendar year (targeting facilities with repeat calls). Fire Chief Meyer cited a sharp increase in lift-assist calls and said the fee seeks to reduce calls that tie up emergency resources.
The committee received first reading of an ordinance to implement cost reimbursements to the city for lift-assist calls. The city attorney explained that the Illinois Municipal Code permits municipalities to operate public safety departments and to adopt fees; the proposed ordinance would impose a $500 fee for each lift-assist beyond six in a calendar year per the proposed fee schedule.
Fire Chief Meyer presented department data and rationale. He said the department ran about 60 to 80 lift-assist calls annually between 2015 and 2021, with recent years showing a marked increase; he said the department has "quadrupled" calls and that 89% of calls are to single-family homes, while numerous repeat calls are concentrated at certain addresses. Chief Meyer said the proposed fee is intended to target facilities that should have appropriate staff or equipment (nursing homes and similar providers) and is not meant to penalize typical residents. He said letters were sent to providers and staff will follow up if the ordinance passes.
Chief Meyer said the fee was calculated using FEMA reimbursement rates for engine operations to reflect personnel and administrative costs. He also described programs to help frequent fallers, including education and equipment assistance, and emphasized that the fee is not intended to be punitive but to free emergency resources for life-threatening calls.
The item stood as first reading and was scheduled for second reading and final action at next week's council meeting.
Next steps: staff will return with the ordinance at second reading and continue outreach to providers; implementation would be contingent on council approval.
