The Reno County Health Department is asking to raise the rates of associated with the sanitation code in the county.
They want to raise fees, in some cases, more then double of what they are now. The program that deals with wells and licensing of those wells in the county is currently in the red through June of this year at negative balance of minus 17-thousand 40-dollars.
They say raising the fees would generate more then double the amount of revenue bringing the total to a projected 48-thousand, 290-dollars.
Just a few examples in the changes. For a water well application fee, the cost would jump from the current 60-dollars to 175, then the water well permit fee would jump from 90-dollars to 275. If you’re late with the application, the late fee which is currently at 120-dollars would jump to 350-dollars. These are just examples and you can contact the health department for a full list of proposed changes.
Officials say the rates have not been adjusted as part of the county sanitation code since 2003 and are used to supplement and maintain the program. Officials say a comparison was made of 7-other counties and 4-regional areas with respect to permit and license fees to cover the permit process. That survey showed that the current rates in the county are below average. An internal audit was also conducted shows that the current fees only covered 26-to-52% of the cost to provide the services, with the average at 38%.
They say that 16-thousand, 181 miles were driven with a standard business mileage rate of 8-thousand, 877-dollars.
The fee increases are also meant to cover the loss of KDHE grant money that covered the initial inspections to properties and inspections associated with the licensing pump trucks.
It should be noted that nothing has been approved, however the County Commission will be taking up the issue as a future agenda item, and there will certainly be room for anyone with concerns about the fee increase to make their feelings known.
For more information about these proposed rate increases, contact the Reno County Health Department at 694-2900.