35-1310. Certification administrator; designation; duties; certification list; hearing; appeal.

Each volunteer department serving a city, village, or rural or suburban fire protection district conducting a service award benefit program shall designate one member of the department to serve as the certification administrator. The designation of such individual as the certification administrator shall be confirmed and approved by the governing body of that city, village, or rural or suburban fire protection district. It shall be the duty of the certification administrator to keep and maintain records on the activities of all volunteer members and participants and award points for such activities based upon the standard criteria for qualified active service. Each volunteer member and participant shall be provided by the certification administrator with notice of the total points he or she has accumulated during each six-month period in which the program is in operation. No later than thirty days following the end of each year of service, the certification administrator shall forward to the governing body of the city, village, or fire protection district a report specifying the name of each volunteer member of the volunteer department, the number of points accumulated by each volunteer during the year of service, and the names of those volunteers who have qualified as active emergency responders, active rescue squad members, or active volunteer firefighters. At the time of the filing of the report, each volunteer member of the department whose name does not appear on the list of qualified volunteers shall be informed of such fact in writing by the certification administrator by mailing the same by first-class United States mail, postage prepaid. No sooner than forty-five days nor later than sixty days after the end of each year of service, the governing body of the city, village, or fire protection district conducting the program shall formally approve and certify the list of those volunteers who have qualified as active emergency responders, active rescue squad members, or active volunteer firefighters. Any volunteer member whose name does not appear on the approved certification list may, within fifteen days after the filing of the report, appeal in writing to the governing body to have his or her name added to the certification list by filing the same with the clerk of the governing body. The appeal shall set out the basis upon which the volunteer believes he or she should be placed upon the certification list and shall specify whether or not a public hearing is requested. If requested by the appealing party, the governing body shall hold a public hearing on the appeal prior to or upon the date upon which the certification list is approved. The governing body shall designate an appropriate person to investigate the appeal and report on its merits to the governing body which shall, by majority vote, add the name of the person to the certification list if there is sufficient evidence to indicate that the individual performed sufficient activities or services to qualify as an active emergency responder, active rescue squad member, or active volunteer firefighter as provided in the standard criteria for qualified active service during the prior year of service. The decision of the governing body may be appealed to the district court of the county in which the volunteer member resides.

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