Title
Resolution to Accept from the Commonwealth of Virginia, Office of Emergency Medical Services and Appropriate to the Division of Fire & Rescue 2018 "Four-for-Life Aid to Localities Funds" in the Amount of $113,929.92
Purpose
PURPOSE/BACKGROUND:
Code of Virginia § 46.2-694(A)(13) requires that an additional fee of $4.25 per year be charged and collected by the Department of Motor Vehicles at the time of registration of each pickup or panel truck and each motor vehicle, as further described by described by statute. Four dollars ($4.00) of that fee is paid into the state treasury and is set aside in a special fund to used only for emergency medical purposes. Those funds are commonly referred to as the "Four-for-Life Aid to Localities Funds." The Comptroller is required to return 26% of the registration fees collected to the locality wherein such vehicle is registered to provide funding for training of volunteer or salaried emergency medical service personnel of licensed, nonprofit emergency medical services agencies; or for the purchase of necessary equipment and supplies for licensed, nonprofit emergency medical service agencies. That statute further prescribes that such funds shall be in addition to any local appropriations and local governing bodies shall not use these funds to supplant local funds.
Discussion:
Four-for-Life Aid to Localities Funds are used to fund training of volunteer or career emergency medical service (EMS) personnel of licensed nonprofit emergency medical services agencies and for the purchase of necessary equipment and supplies for use in such locality by licensed nonprofit emergency medical services agencies. The benefit to the community is that EMS training is paid from these funds so the Division of Fire & Rescue does not have to ask the City for training funds therefore leaving funds in the City’s budget for other projects that will benefit the citizens of Hampton. The training that EMS personnel partake in makes them better medics with more up-to-date methods and knowledge to carry forth to the citizens.
Four-for-Life Aid to Localities Funds are statutorily prescribed dedicated funding, not grant or contract funding. The funds are assigned a G-number by Finance for tracking and reporting. Annual reports are generated by Finance with guidance from the Fire & Rescue Division. The funds are not required to be used within an allotted time period and may be rolled over from year to year if necessary.Veronica Kmetz, in Finance, processes the annual report, which must be must be submitted before future funds may be released to the City.
Impact:
The Four-for-Life Aid to Localities Funds help the Division of Fire & Rescue serve all of the citizens of the City of Hampton and visitors to the City. It also benefits those in other jurisdictions with which the City has entered into a mutual aid agreement. The City of Hampton supports having the best Public Safety Department and the aid to locality funds help the Division of Fire & Rescue be the best they can be.
Recommendation:
Rec
Approve.
Body
WHEREAS, Code of Virginia § 46.2-694(A)(13) requires that an additional fee of $4.25 per year be charged and collected by the Department of Motor Vehicles at the time of registration of each pickup or panel truck and each motor vehicle;
WHEREAS, four dollars ($4.00) of that additional fee is paid into the state treasury and is set aside in a special fund to used only for emergency medical purposes, which funds are commonly referred to as "Four-for-Life Aid to Localities Funds";
WHEREAS, by statute, a portion of those additional fees collected must be returned to the locality wherein such vehicle is registered to provide funding for training of volunteer or salaried emergency medical service personnel of licensed, nonprofit emergency medical services agencies; or for the purchase of necessary equipment and supplies for licensed, nonprofit emergency medical service agencies; and
WHEREAS, the Comptroller of the Commonwealth of Virginia has determined that the amount of Four-for-Life Aid to Localities Funds attributable to the City of Hampton for 2018 is $113,929.92.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HAMPTON, VIRGINIA: that it accepts from the Commonwealth, amends the Fiscal Year 2019 Council Approved Budget and appropriates to the City of Hampton Division of Fire & Rescue the 2018 Four-for-Life Aid to Localities Funds in the amount of $113,929.92 and any supplemental funding that may be received for that purpose.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council authorizes the City Manager or her designee to take the necessary steps to implement and utilize those Four-for-Life Aid to Localities Funds for any and all statutorily prescribed purpose.