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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL NO. 2010 — 305
CLEARANCES Initial Date Date Received in Council Office Agenda Date Assigned to:
Originator:
8/9/2010 8/10/2010 Council
Division Head:
.R IF ' iWL -,
Dept. Head: AUG 9 2010
Prosecutor:
WHATCOM COUNTY
Purchasing/Budget: COUNCIL
Executive:
TITLE OF DOCUMENT:
Resolution requesting Executive discontinue EMS Interlocal Agreement
ATTACHMENTS:
SEPA review required? ( ) Yes ( ) NO Should Clerk schedule a hearing ? ( ) Yes ( ) NO
SEPA review completed? ( ) Yes ( ) NO Requested Date: .
SUMMARY STATEMENT OR LEGAL NOTICE LANGUAGE: (If this item is an ordinance or requires a public
hearing, you must provide the language for use in the required public notice. Be specific and cite RCW or WCC as appropriate.
Be clear in explaining the intent of the action.)
Resolution requesting that the County Executive draft a notification letter to the City of Bellingham to discontinue the interlocal agreement regarding
EMS provision
COMMITTEE ACTION: COUNCIL ACTION:
8 / 10 / 2010 : Council Amended & Approved 4- 2 ,
Weimer & Mann opposed and Kershner opposed
Res . 2010-032
Related County Contract #: Related File Numbers: Ordinance or Resolution
Number: Res . 2010-032
Please Note: Once adopted and signed, ordinances and resolutions are available for viewing and printing
on the County 's website at: www. co. whatcom. wa. us/council.
1 Res : Requesting Executive Draft EMS Discontinuation Notice
2 SPONSORED BY: Crawford
3 PROPOSED BY: Crawford
4 INTRODUCTION DATE : August 10, 2010
5
6 RESOLUTION NO . 2010-032
7
8 REQUESTING THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE DRAFT A NOTIFICATION LETTER TO
9 THE CITY OF BELLINGHAM TO AMEND THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT REGARDING
10 EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE PROVISION
11
12 WHEREAS, in 2005 the emergency response agencies, along with Whatcom County
13 government and the City of Bellingham ( City) , signed an agreement to support a
14 cooperative countywide Emergency Medical Services response and provision plan ; and
15
16 WHEREAS, since that time, opportunities for paramedic training and implementation
17 outside of the Bellingham Fire Department have been deterred and delayed by actions taken
18 by City employees ; and
19
20 WHEREAS, the training and activation of paramedics to staff the 5th Medic One unit
21 have been far more costly and time- consuming because of the actions of City administrators
22 and City employees ; and
23
24 WHEREAS, a common goal of all signatory agencies in the 2005 EMS plan was to
25 maintain a unified EMS system , but the City's administration of the system has been
26 contrary to the intent of the EMS plan , resulting in discord , delay and confusion ; and
27
28 WHEREAS, the most recent statements of protest by the City regarding training of a
29 Point Roberts paramedic indicate a lack of responsiveness and general disregard by City
30 administrators to the needs and well - being of Whatcom County citizens outside of
31 Bellingham ; and
32
33 WHEREAS, a ' model ' of a single , unified countywide EMS system must be developed
34 with a countywide administrative component which allows the following :
35
36 A . Training and implementation of new paramedics, as needed with population
37 and call volume growth , that does not carry a single- agency ( City)
38 employment or union membership requirement unless appropriate for a given
39 fire district based upon its existing employment practices
40 B . Assignment of paramedic responder duties, as well as transport of patients at
41 all ' levels' of response including Basic Life Support ( BLS ) and Advanced Life
42 Support ( ALS ) , in a manner that can be served by any responding fire agency
43 in Whatcom County as agreed upon through a coordinated and centrally-
44 administered plan
45 C . An EMS system granting equal input and cooperation between all county fire
46 districts and city fire departments
47 D . A ' component' approach to administration of a system which may consist of
48 EMS responder unit components, as well as a training component, an
49 invoicing and collections component, and other operational components as
50 - needed
51 E . System - wide unification through an active EMS Administrative Board
52 oversight, with regular reporting and accountability requirements directed to
53 the Whatcom County Council as needed ;
1 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that . the Whatcom County Council hereby
2 requests the County Executive prepare a letter of notification , as provided in the current
3 EMS interlocal agreement between the county and the City of Bellingham , notifying the City
4 of the county's intent to amend the current interlocal agreement, effective three calendar
5 years from January 1 , 2011 ; and
6
7 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Whatcom County Council calls upon all fire
8 districts and city fire departments in Whatcom County to immediately initiate discussions
9 and negotiations with the goal of crafting an EMS response system more reflective of the
10 values, f-it€0ifltiix j,ess, participation , efficiency and well - being of all citizens of Whatcom
11 Counts tA\ 11T Y C''1%
13 $ O% QR8 wfrtner't h day of August , 2010 .
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19 Dapa .Brdw ,t . 4is' Clerjof the Council Sa rawford , Co cii Chair
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22 APPROVED AS T • - ORM :
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25 ay c.'/ rosecutor