CHAPTER 357G
CITY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES DISTRICTS

Referred to in §331.382, 357J.18, 384.12

  
     
357G.1  Definitions.
  As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:
  1.  “Book”, “list”, “record”, or “schedule” kept by a county auditor, assessor, treasurer, recorder, sheriff, or other county officer means the county system as defined in section 445.1.
  2.  “Council” means the city council of a city.
  3.  “District” means a city emergency medical services district.
  4.  “Trustee” means a trustee of a district.
94 Acts, ch 1075, §1; 2000 Acts, ch 1148, §1; 2002 Acts, ch 1119, §200, 201

     
357G.2  Petition for public hearing.
  1.  The council shall, on the petition of twenty-five percent of the resident property owners in a proposed district if the assessed valuation of the property owned by the petitioners represents at least twenty-five percent of the total assessed value of the proposed district, hold a public hearing concerning the establishment of a proposed district. The petition shall include a statement containing the following information:
  a.  The need for emergency medical services.
  b.  The district to be served.
  c.  The approximate number of families in the district.
  d.  The proposed personnel, equipment, and facilities to provide the emergency medical services.
  2.  The council may require a bond of the petitioners conditioned for the payment of all costs and expenses incurred in the proceedings in case the district is not established.
94 Acts, ch 1075, §2
Referred to in §357G.4

     
357G.3  Limitation on area.
  A district shall include all of the incorporated area of a city except property assessed as agricultural land, or centrally assessed property.
94 Acts, ch 1075, §3

     
357G.4  Time of hearing.
  The public hearing required in section 357G.2 shall be held within thirty days of the presentation of the petition. Notice of hearing shall be given by publication in two successive issues of any newspaper of general circulation within the district. The last publication shall be not less than one week before the proposed hearing.
94 Acts, ch 1075, §4; 95 Acts, ch 67, §30
Referred to in §357G.7, 357G.8

     
357G.5  Action by council.
  After, and within ten days of, the hearing, the council shall either establish the district by resolution or disallow the petition.
94 Acts, ch 1075, §5

     
357G.6  Engineer.
  1.  When the council establishes a district, the council shall appoint a competent disinterested civil engineer, who shall prepare a preliminary plat showing:
  a.  The proper design in general outline of the district.
  b.  The lots and parcels of land within the proposed district as they appear on the city assessor’s or county auditor’s plat books with the names of the owners.
  c.  The assessed valuation of the lots and parcels.
  2.  The compensation of the engineer on the preliminary investigation shall be determined by the council. The engineer shall file a report with the city assessor within thirty days of appointment. The council may extend the time upon good cause shown.
94 Acts, ch 1075, §6

     
357G.7  Hearing on engineer’s report.
  After the engineer’s report is filed, the council shall give notice, as provided in section 357G.4, of a public hearing to be held concerning the engineer’s preliminary plat.
94 Acts, ch 1075, §7

     
357G.8  Election on proposed levy and candidates for trustees.
  When a preliminary plat has been approved by the council, an election shall be held within the district within sixty days to approve or disapprove the levy of a tax of not more than one dollar per thousand dollars of assessed value on all the taxable property within the district and to choose candidates for the offices of trustees of the district. The ballot shall set out the reason for the tax and the amount needed. The tax shall be set to raise only the amount needed. Notice of the election, including the time and place of holding the election, shall be given as provided in section 357G.4. The vote shall be by ballot which shall state clearly the proposition to be voted upon and any registered voter residing within the district at the time of the election may vote. It is not mandatory for the county commissioner of elections to conduct elections held pursuant to this chapter, but the elections shall be conducted in accordance with chapter 49 where not in conflict with this chapter. Judges shall be appointed to serve without pay by the council from among the registered voters of the district to be in charge of the election. The proposition is approved if sixty percent of those voting on the proposition vote in favor of it.
94 Acts, ch 1075, §8; 95 Acts, ch 67, §53
Referred to in §357G.10, 357G.11, 357J.18

     
357G.9  Trustees — term and qualification.
  At the election, the names of up to three candidates for trustee shall be written in by the voters on blank ballots without formal nomination and the council shall appoint three from among the five receiving the highest number of votes as trustees for the district. One trustee shall be appointed to serve for one year, one for two years, and one for three years. The trustees and their successors must be residents of the district and shall give bond in the amount required by the council, the premium of which shall be paid by the district. Vacancies shall be filled by appointment by the council. The term of succeeding trustees shall be three years.
94 Acts, ch 1075, §9; 98 Acts, ch 1123, §14, 19

     
357G.10  Trustees’ powers.
  The trustees may purchase, own, rent, or maintain emergency medical services apparatus or equipment within the state or outside the territorial jurisdiction and boundary limits of this state, provide housing for such apparatus and equipment, provide emergency medical service and facilities, and may certify for levy an annual tax as provided in section 357G.8. The trustees may purchase material, employ emergency medical service and other personnel, and may perform all other acts necessary to properly maintain and operate the district. The trustees may contract with any other city or county or public or private agency under chapter 28E for the purpose of providing emergency medical services under this chapter. The trustees are allowed necessary expenses in the discharge of their duties, but they shall not receive a salary.
94 Acts, ch 1075, §10

     
357G.11  Bonds in anticipation of revenue.
  A district may anticipate the collection of taxes by the levy authorized in this chapter, and to carry out the purposes of this chapter may issue bonds payable in not more than ten equal installments with the rate of interest not exceeding that permitted by chapter 74A. An indebtedness shall not be incurred under this chapter until authorized by an election. The election shall be held and notice given in the same manner as provided in section 357G.8, and the same sixty percent vote shall be necessary to authorize indebtedness. Both propositions may be submitted to the voters at the same election.
94 Acts, ch 1075, §11

     
357G.12  Dissolution of district.
  Upon petition of thirty-five percent of the resident eligible electors, the council may dissolve a district and dispose of any remaining property, the proceeds of which shall first be applied against outstanding obligations and any balance shall be applied to tax credit of property owners of the district. The council shall continue to levy a tax after dissolution of a district, of not to exceed twenty-seven cents per thousand dollars of assessed value on all the taxable property of the district, until all outstanding obligations of the district are paid.
94 Acts, ch 1075, §12

     
357G.13  Adding property to district.
  Any property in an unincorporated area contiguous to the boundaries of an established district which is annexed by the city shall be included in the district. The tax levy for the next year shall be applied to the property and on the first day of the next fiscal year, the property shall become a part of the district.
94 Acts, ch 1075, §13

     
357G.14  Determination of fee.
  1.  The owner of any property joining an established district shall pay to the trustees of the district an initial fee to be computed as follows:
  a.  The trustees shall first determine fair market value of all property and improvements owned by the district, less any indebtedness.
  b.  The council shall then determine the assessed value of all property in the district which is not assessed as agricultural land. This shall be divided into the value determined in paragraph “a”.
  c.  The council shall determine the assessed value of the property of each landowner joining the established district which is not assessed as agricultural land.
  d.  The result obtained in paragraph “b” shall be multiplied by the result obtained in paragraph “c”. The result shall be the initial fee to be charged each landowner.
  2.  The initial fees paid to the trustees shall be used to help defray the cost and maintenance of the district’s emergency medical services.
94 Acts, ch 1075, §14