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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-12-15-minutes-public-hearing-to-consider-the-2017-public-health-fee-schedule0 ktuitar Cnntblic Health Department To Protect and Promote the Health and the Environment of the People of Kittitas County KITTITAS COUNTY JOINT BOCCBOH PUBLIC HEARING Meeting Minutes December 15, 2016 Commissioners' Auditorium 10:00 a.m. Present Board of Health (BOH): Laura Osiadacz, Paul Jewell, Rich Elliott Board of Health Advisory Committee (BOHAC): Teague McKamey Public Health: Candi Blackford, Hollie Casey, Erin Moore, Holly Myers, Robin Read, Kaitlyn Reddick, Kasey Knudson, Julia Karns, Tristen Lamb, Will Schwab, Mark Larson, M.D. Paul Jewell called meeting to order at 10: 05 a.m. Robin Read gave a brief background update and noted that the fees have not been updated in the last 3 years and is normally updated annually. The department has been working on the new fee methodology for the last couple years and that's why we have not done any updates in the last couple years. Ms. Read's staff report stated that a new county- wide fee development methodology has been implemented for environmental health fees for 2017. This has resulted in significant proposed changes for the Kittitas County Public Health Department Fee Schedule and Policy. Ms. Read also noted a few things to consider that impact our fee schedule when reviewing the new schedule. Non- environmental health fees will remain the same for 2017, but will be changing in 2018. Ms. Read discussed the following fee schedule, and policy changes: • KCPHD Fee Schedule Policy has been updated to reflect the utilization of a new county wide fee methodology to develop and calculate fees on an annual basis • Other language changes are for increasing clarification in policy language • The water sampling fee has a base fee, the additional cost of the water tests will be billed to the customer • The electronic meter read equipment fee has been eliminated • The renewal application fee for solid waste facilities has been eliminated • A new fee has been added for On Site Septic Redesign submittal with a different designer • Vaccines and titers have been added to the fee schedule for clarification on what we charge • Some services that are no longer available for a fee, such as an oral HIV test and low-risk hepatitis C testing, have been removed Board of Health Minutes December 15, 2016 2 of 4 • A refund processing fee has been added to the fee schedule Ms. Read also briefly discussed the following fee adjustments: • Annual Potable Water Storage/Cistern Water Test Results Review: The reason for the drastic increase in this fee is due to code changes that require quarterly water testing instead of annual and more department oversight in order to allow self -hauling for the cistern program. The work load for this activity increased over what was included in the original fee • Mitigation Packages A and B: This fee changes the internal department fees, there is no increase in cost to the public • Metering fee: The metering fee will not change and uses a different methodology than the rest of the fees due to the fact that it is an annual fee that incorporates costs that are spread out over time: this fee has been removed as they are duplicated fees • OSS Redesign Submittal (different designer): This is a new fee due to the time analysis for this activity being higher than with the same designer • RE -inspections: Re -inspection fees for food establishments and pools and spas will now have their own re -inspection fee separate from each other • Solid Waste Renewal Application permit fee Ms. Read noted that there have been some concerns with the Famer's Market permit.fee and would like to put this through our quality improvement process. Ms. Read would like to see if we can come up with a more appropriate and affordable permit for the famers market since it doesn't really follow the permits level/categories we have currently. Paul Jewell noted the significant increase in the Farmer's Market Permit fee for 2017 and asked if each vendor is required to have its own market permit. Will Schwab noted that each vendor is required to have its own permit through the city and then are required to obtain a market permit from the health department and the food types vary from eggs/vegetables/fruits to preparing and serving food. There was discussion about what the inspections at the farmer's market entails and why farmer's market permits are different than seasonal permits. Ms. Myers stepped to the microphone and noted that the quality improvement plan will allow the department to look at inspection needs for the farmer's market and possible different levels of services. Ms. Read also noted that the department is holding off doing school inspections. With the increase in fees for 2017 and the possibility of state funding for school inspections, the health department will hold off on inspections until this is decided. Commissioner Jewell noted the county background on the fee methodology and explained that the county met with a consultant to develop the new fee methodology. This has since been in Community Development Services and has been widely accepted by the Homebuilder's Association. It is now county requirement to have all departments use the new fee methodology. Laura Osiadacz asked how many people were notified of fee changes, and the health department noted that they sent notifications out to as many stakeholders as possible via email list serves and put notifications in the paper. Commissioner Jewell noted that the Adequate Water Supply is going down; is that due to data? Ms. Read responded yes. Some on-site sewage is also dropping, some is increasing; Mr. Jewell asked if this is again, due to data? Ms. Read responded- yes, but also some of the work is being done with improved efficiencies. Public testimony opened up at 10:32am Matthew Cox, Kittitas County resident and Farmer's Market board member, stepped to the microphone. Mr. Cox noted that he has paid the past fee of $180.00 for the farmer's market and it seemed that the fee was extreme for selling eggs and frozen meat products that already have to go through USDA process and Board of Health Minutes December 15, 2016 3 of 4 procedures to sell. They are regulated through the state as well. The increased fee is hard to absorb as the fee is more expensive than King County. They are also required to have a food handler's card while they are not cooking food, and only operating four hours a week. Mr. Cox would like to propose keeping the fee the same and not increasing it. Mark Nelson, Kittitas County resident and local septic designer, stepped to the microphone. Mr. Nelson stated that the OSS redesign fee being more than the same designer fee seems steep, since the county has already seen the design, just a different designer. Not sure that this should be the case. Mr. Nelson also noted that when there are multiple site evaluations in one location, the fee should not increase to $550.00, but should be less. Jeremy Bach, Bach Well Drilling and Kittitas County resident, stepped to the microphone. Mr. Bach stated that he has been drilling wells in the county for a long time and the increases in the Well Site Review have increased in the last seven years from about $70-75.00. Processes and procedures are still the same. The fee increase seems a bit excessive over the last six to seven years. Other delegated counties (like ours) don't even charge this fee and noted a few of those counties. He also commented that the county also gets a kickback from the Department of Ecology for each well inspected. Mr. Bach also pointed out that the lab sampling fee (the one the county has to actually go out and take) has decreased. Mr. Bach noted that he knows there was a new fee methodology implemented, but it makes no sense how lab sampling goes down 23%, but the Well Site Review permit, in which someone sits in the office to process paperwork, goes up 26%. That was all he had. Bambi Miller, Kittitas County resident, and is also a Farmer's Market board member noted that an increase from $180.00 to 330.00 (an 83% increase) seems excessive for selling eggs and frozen meat products that already have to go through USDA requirements. They will have to pass this cost onto their customers who may or may not want to pay the increase for their product. Some vendors are not serving or preparing food, but treated as though they are. The board would like to work with the county to figure out a permit that will meet the health department requirements and keep the costs down to keep vendors here. Public testimony closed at 10:42 a.m. Rich Elliott noted that he does not like to see fees going up, but is sensitive to the health department since they are doing what is being asked of them to do. Mr. Elliott recommended trying to work with farmer's market clients to develop a system that was more appropriate for what they were doing, and not treat them differently. Commissioner Jewell asked for clarification on the market permit and if it covered all farmer's Markets in the county. Holly Myers stepped to the microphone and responded that it does. There was discussion about setting the Farmer's Market permit fee at the temp food level 3 fee of $255.00 temporarily. The board recommended that the health department work with the Farmer's Market Board to set fees for the market, and to have this done for the next Farmer's Market that starts in May. There were additional conversations for clarifications of a couple fees. Commissioner Jewell noted that the 2017 Public Health fees were adjusted based on the new fee methodology that includes actual county staff time, gas, etc. and not just based on random numbers. Board of Health Minutes December 15, 2016 4 of 4 Motion 12-01: Motion to approve Resolution 2016-02 adopting the 2017 Schedule for Fees collected by the Kittitas County Public Health Department with the amendment that the Farmer's Market fee be changed from $330.00 to $255.00 and develop a future fee schedule to be approved by the BOH/BOCC based on level of risk and public health will engage with stake holders. Rich Elliott moved to approve the Resolution 2016-02 adopting the 2017 Schedule for Fees collected by the Kittitas County Public Health Department with the amendment that the Farmer's Market fee be changed from $330.00 to $255.00 and develop a future fee schedule to be approved by the BOH/BOCC based on level of risk and public health will engage with stake holders. Laura Osiadacz second. All approved. Motion 12-01 carried to approve Resolution 2016-02 adopting the 2017 Schedule for Fees collected by the Kittitas County Public Health Department with the amendment that the Farmer's Market fee be changed from $330.00 to $255.00 and develop a future fee schedule to be approved by the BOHBOCC based on level of risk and public health will engage with stake holders. Commissioner Jewell thanked staff for the hard work. Commissioner Jewell also noted that he understands the concerns raised by public and that no one likes to see fees increase, and also noted that the well site review fee increase from $70.00 to 215.00 is a progression to full cost recovery. He is hopeful that they have reached that goal with this fee. Meeting adjourned at 11:07 a.m. PadJeV?[, Chalr of the Board of Health Robin Read, Administrator, Kittitas County Public Health C,: ndi Blackford, Clerk ofthY Board of Health