PELL CITY — The council failed Monday night to pass an ordinance on its first reading that would force residents who live outside the municipality to repay the city for any emergency fire and/or medical calls.“Where do you draw the line?” Councilman Greg Gossett asked. “I’m against it. I don’t think we need to do it.”
The ordinance was drafted in an attempt for the city to recover its costs in responding to calls outside the corporate limits of Pell City.
Fire Chief Mike Sewell said the Fire Department has responded to about nine emergency calls outside the city limits this year alone.
In many instances, emergency workers are racing against the clock and may be unsure if a certain residence is in or out of the municipal corporate limits of the city when they are dispatched from the St. Clair County Central Dispatch.
“Our people pride themselves on the response time,” Sewell said. “They don’t have time to look in a map book to see if a certain residence is in or out of the city limit.”
But Councilman Ed Pennington, who also voted against the ordinance, said fire and emergency workers should know what is in and out of the city limits.
“He (Sewell) should train his men to know what’s in and out of the city limits,” said Pennington, who retired from the Pell City Police Department after 25 years of service. “I don’t think the Police Department or Fire Department should answer any calls outside the city limits. … If you work for Pell City, you should know what’s in and what’s out.”
Pennington said the ordinance could give people who live outside the city a false sense of security that the Pell City Fire Department is going to respond in an emergency situation outside its city limits.
He also asked, “Where do you draw the line, one block, two blocks, half-mile or 2 miles from the city limits?”
Pennington said the city already has an ordinance prohibiting any city services, including emergency services, to residents living outside the city limits.
“There has to be a line drawn,” Pennington said. “You don’t answer any calls outside the corporate limits of the city, period.”
City attorney Robert Minor said the ordinance is only a mechanism for the city to recoup its costs when responding to calls outside the city.
“It’s not the intent of the ordinance to go outside the city,” Minor said.
After a split-second decision from the council, Minor said if it is later determined a residence is outside the corporate limits of Pell City, the city can recover the cost for its emergency services, medical supplies, manpower, equipment, etc., as determined by the city.
“You do not want to delay services, trying to determine whether it’s in or out,” said Councilman Donnie Todd, adding the ordinance wasn’t drafted to provide services to people outside the city limits.
Todd said the Fire Department should not knowingly respond to calls outside the city limits, but should not waste valuable time trying to determine if a residence is in or out of the city.
The city does have mutual aide agreements with several fire departments in the area, including New London, Riverside, Wattsville, Cook Springs and Wolf Creek volunteer fire departments.
The proposed ordinance can pass on its second reading, if the majority of the council is in favor of its passage.
In other matters Monday night, the council:
o Approved soliciting bids for the paving of Wolf Creek Road North, where the bridge was repaired.
o Approved a business license application for First Choice Funding.
o Approved renewing its contract with central dispatch in the amount of $102,319.
o Approved a policy for city inmates to work off fines.
o Reappointed Lyle Harmon to the D.A.R.E. Committee for another two-year term.
o Approved a retail liquor license for Shields Corner Store.
o Approved a request by the Pell City High School Choral Department for a road block at the intersection of U.S. 231 and Comer Avenue for Sept. 30 and Oct. 14 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. each Saturday.
