§ 4-30. Term of franchise.

(a)

The county may issue a franchise hereunder to an owner of an ambulance provider to be valid for a term to be determined by the county, provided that either party at its option may terminate the franchise upon ninety (90) days prior written notice to the other party. After a notice of such termination is given, the ambulance provider may re-apply for a franchise if continued service is desired.

(b)

If any franchise shall fail to comply with or violate any provision of this article, or a franchise issued hereunder, said franchisee may be cited by the county for said violation or failure to comply. The county, after a hearing, pursuant to the citation may impose a civil penalty of five hundred dollars ($500.00) for each separate breach of the franchise as provided in section 4-35 and may suspend or revoke the franchise. If upon such hearing, the county finds that the franchisee has corrected any deficiencies and has brought the operation into compliance with the provisions of this article, the franchise may not be suspended or revoked but a civil penalty as provided in section 4-35 may be imposed.

(c)

Upon suspension, revocation, or termination of a franchise granted hereunder, such franchised ambulance provider immediately shall cease all intra-county ambulance operations. Upon suspension, revocation, or termination of a driver's license such person shall cease to drive an ambulance, and no person shall permit such individual to drive an ambulance in the county. Upon suspension, revocation, or termination of a medical responder or emergency medical technician certificate, such person shall cease to provide medical care in conjunction with an ambulance provider, and no person shall employ or permit such individual to provide medical care in conjunction with an ambulance provider in the county. It is the responsibility of the franchisee to provide a copy of the MVR to the director of emergency services for each driver of a franchised ambulance annually on the first day of July. Failure to provide an MVR on a driver will result in disqualification of that driver. New drivers may not be added until their MVR is approved by the county. Major driving infractions such as DUI/DWI, Reckless Driving, Passing a Stopped School Bus, Vehicular Homicide/Manslaughter, Speeding in Excess of 20 MPH Above the Posted Speed Limit, or Leaving the Scene of an Accident should be reported immediately to the director of emergency services. The county's director of emergency services and the county's risk manager will review the MVRs. Persons with unacceptable driving records will not be allowed to drive a franchised ambulance. Applicable county policy will be the criteria used to determine whether or not a driving record is acceptable.

(d)

It is the intent of the county that persons allowed to drive franchisee-owned or operated vehicles be held to a like driving standard to those persons operating county vehicles. When any such franchisee vehicle is involved in an accident, regardless of fault, the franchisee shall immediately require the driver of this vehicle to be medically screened for any indication of possible abuse of alcohol, prescription drugs, or any illegal substance. These results will be made available to the county=s risk manager upon their receipt from the applicable laboratory. The franchisee shall bear the cost of such testing.

(e)

Any change of ownership of a franchised ambulance provider shall terminate the franchise and shall require a new application and a new franchise and conformance with all the requirements of this article.

(Ord. of 5-5-03, § 5)