At last night’s “sunshine” meeting of the City Council, Fire Chief Jeff Fisher asked the council to vote for increases in the city’s ambulance fees. The proposed hike would be between 7 and 14 % and would boost total income from the fees from approximately $1.4 million to as much as $1.6 million annually. The council last increased ambulance fees in August of 2009. Ambulance fees have been responsible paying for new fire trucks, ambulances and equipment by using only money from the ambulance fees.

In addition, 5 percent of ambulance fees are used to help fund the city’s Emergency Responder Training Academy. The council could vote on the idea at their regular meeting next week.