[Adopted 4-15-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-07; amended in its entirety 7-15-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-09]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
West Deptford Fire Department.
A natural person or persons, partnership, corporation, association,
firm or other legal entity.
The Township of West Deptford is hereby authorized to recover
the costs of firefighting materials used and expended, the costs of
the use of fire trucks, fire engines, rescue equipment and tankers,
the costs of personal hours, and hazardous situation abatement materials
involved in any fire, safety and rescue incident or operation, and
hazardous abatement incident, including vehicular accidents and fires.
Attached hereto, incorporated herein and made part hereof as Exhibit A, is a Schedule of Fees and Costs which have been authorized by the governing body to be charged by the Township of West Deptford.[1] These fees and costs may be charged and invoiced to any
person or insurance carrier for whom or for whose property such services
were rendered and/or materials provided.
[1]
Editor's Note: Exhibit A is included as an attachment to this chapter.
Said costs and fees as outlined above and in Exhibit A shall be recovered by direct billing by the Township of West Deptford or shall be recovered by arrangements and contract with a third-party vendor. The utilization of the collection service of a third-party vendor shall be for those situations or collection situations in which the Township of West Deptford agrees that services provided by a third-party vendor can be best utilized.
A.Â
Statement. The Township of West Deptford does hereby establish guidelines
for the billing by the Township of West Deptford for reimbursement
of Fire Department services.
B.Â
Guidelines.
(1)Â
Structures; cost recovery. Billing will be processed for structure
fires wherein there is sufficient damage for the owner/tenant of the
property to file a claim with his or her insurance company. Examples
of such structure fires include, but are not limited to, dwellings,
apartments or apartment complexes, commercial or noncommercial buildings
or outbuildings.
(2)Â
Vehicles. Billing will be processed for all vehicle fires and vehicle
accidents wherein the owner/insured/operator involved files a claim
with their insurance company. Billing shall also be processed for
vehicle fires in any vehicle holding yard or junkyard, regardless
of insurance. Invoices shall be sent directly to the owner of the
property.
(3)Â
Other. Billing will be processed for all other incidents not covered
above, regardless if insured or not. Examples would be dumpster, illegal
burns, etc.
(4)Â
Billing. The Township, at its sole discretion, may contract with
an outside business entity to process the billing and payment collection
process for Fire Department services.
In addition to the aforementioned fees and costs, the Township
of West Deptford is authorized to collect reasonable interest and
administration fees for collecting said fees and costs.
In the event that a person utilizing the services or materials
of the Fire Department fails to make payment for those services directly
to the Township of West Deptford or any third-party vendor, then,
upon receipt of notice of the failure of payment, the governing body
of the Township of West Deptford may elect to bring an action in a
court of competent jurisdiction for the collection of any amounts
due hereunder plus attorneys' fees or for any other relief that
may be appropriate.
