The Council recognizes that the citizens of Topeka are entitled to responsible emergency medical care. Therefore, it is hereby declared that the Council intends to grant franchise contracts for the operation of ambulance services in the City and to cooperate with the Board of County Commissioners to provide a unified system of ambulance services, subject to State statutes and rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto, which license ambulance services within the state. (Code 1981 § 6-1. Code 1995 § 62-27.)