Wagoner approves ordinance to bill insurers for at-fault incidents and updates master fee schedule

The Wagoner City Council voted on May 4 to adopt Ordinance 987, authorizing the city to recover costs for Wagoner Fire Department responses from at-fault parties and their insurers. Council emphasized the city will bill insurance companies, not individual residents, and that any charges will be constrained to the amount allowed by the insurer.

During discussion, fire-department and city staff clarified that the ordinance establishes the authority to recover costs, while the specific fees and rates will be set in the city’s master fee schedule. Kelly Rounds, identified in the meeting record as fire chief, confirmed there will be a set rate and described practical collection limitations.

Council asked how charges would be calculated; staff noted the ordinance delegates fee-setting to the master fee schedule so adjustments can be made administratively. A council member referenced prior local practice of assessing a flat amount; the meeting record included a comment of "$700 an hour" during the discussion but staff clarified the ordinance itself does not fix a fee in the text and that the master fee schedule will determine the charge and cap it to what an insurer will pay.

On motion, the council approved Ordinance 987, declared it an emergency, and adopted a companion resolution amending the master fee schedule to add a fee category for recovery of Wagoner Fire Department response costs; roll-call votes were affirmative across the board.