<div class="chunk-title">Sec. 14-22. - Granting of franchises; districts.</div>
<div class="chunk-content">
            <p class="incr0">
               (a)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               The board of commissioners has designated specific service areas as franchise districts.
               Said districts were established using criteria that includes geographic size, road
               access, the location of existing medical transportation services, population, and
               response time. The county shall have the authority to redistrict or rearrange existing
               districts at any time at its discretion. A copy of the district maps will be on file
               at the office of the clerk to the board of commissioners and/or the county's department
               of emergency management.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (b)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               Any applicant may apply for a franchise to operate an emergency transportation service,
               a nonemergency transportation service, or a medical first responder program. When
               different types of franchises are proposed to be provided by the same applicant, separate
               applications must be filed for each type of franchise.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (c)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               Within 30 days upon receipt of an application for a franchise, the county shall schedule
               a time and place for the council to hear the applicant. Within 60 days after hearing
               the applicant, the council shall make its recommendation to the board of commissioners.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (d)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               A franchise may be granted if the county finds that:
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (1)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               The applicant shows a reasonable effort to meet state standards and standards outlined
               in the franchise ordinance.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (2)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               A need exists for the proposed service in order to improve the level of services available
               to residents of the county and that this is a reasonable and cost effective manner
               of meeting the need.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (e)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               The maximum number of nonemergency transportation services that may be franchised
               per franchise district hereunder is four, and shall only be granted to for-profit
               entities. In the event of a vacancy in a nonemergency franchise, the board of commissioners
               shall grant a franchise to the next approved provider, based on the date of original
               approval; provided such applicant is still in compliance with all requirements herein.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="b0">
               Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained within this subsection (e), a nonemergency
               transportation services franchise may be granted to CarolinaEast Health System and/or
               CarolinaEast Medical Center; and in such an event, this franchise shall not count
               towards the limitation of four total franchises per district.
               </p>
            <p class="incr0">
               (f)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               There shall not be a maximum number of emergency transportation services that may
               be franchised hereunder.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="historynote0">
               (Ord. of 10-3-2011)
               </p></div>