Title
Proposed Amendments to Lake County Board of Health Ordinance Article XIII, Environmental Health Services Fees Schedule - Smithson
Body
Environmental Health Services (EHS) is proposing to amend Lake County Board of Health Ordinance Article XIII, EHS Fees Schedule, to eliminate compounding late fees, which most often applies to late payment of food facility permits. The current Fees Schedule assesses late fees for licenses and permits which expire on December 31st as follows:
25% after February 15
50% after March 15
100% after April 15
Even though food facilities that continue to operate with unpaid permit fees are “operating without a permit” (a serious violation), enforcement actions against the operations have typically not been taken prior to April 15. Providing this extended payment period in the fees schedule confuses requirements that valid permits and licenses are required in other ordinances, and the late fees become extremely burdensome. Additionally, some facility owners who sell or close their food facilities prior to April 15 end up not paying any permit fees.
EHS is proposing to eliminate the assessment of the 50% late fee on March 15, and the 100% late fee on April 15. Instead, this proposed revision retains the assessment of a 25% late fee, changing the date to February 1, and EHS will take enforcement actions to suspend food operations if permit fees are not paid by that date.
These amendments project a net loss in revenue of approximately $2500 in Food Program late fees with minimal reductions in the Water Well and Septic Programs. However, this revision will reduce staff time, minimize confusion between the fees schedule and ordinances requiring permits and licenses, and will establish a more timely and equitable enforcement protocol for food facilities.
Suggested Motion
To approve proposed revisions to Lake County Board of Health Ordinance Article XIII