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Fiscal court approves weekend inspection fee and industrial permit changes for county plants
Summary
The court approved a weekend inspection fee and recommended changes to the industrial/manufacturing permit schedule to cover weekend inspection costs and staff compensation, affecting maintenance work at large industrial sites including Toyota.
Scott County Fiscal Court voted May 20 to approve a new fee structure to recover costs for Saturday and Sunday inspections at industrial and manufacturing sites, and to adjust the county's approach to industrial permit fees for small jobs.
Don Hawkins introduced the proposal, asking the court to establish a $350 inspection fee for weekend inspections on projects under $30,000 and to retain the existing 1.25% fee on the electrical contract for jobs over $30,000. "What Don is proposing is a $350 inspection for those jobs that are less than $30,000," the judge summarized during the discussion.
Court discussion focused on staff time and payroll. Under the proposal, employees called for weekend inspections would receive a four-hour minimum pay for the work, and if the inspection took more than four hours the employee would be paid for actual hours worked; hours worked during a normal 40-hour week would be counted at the employee's normal rate, and weekend hours would be paid at overtime where appropriate. Concerns were raised about wording and the risk of implying payment for hours not worked; one magistrate said the language must be clear so employees are not paid for time they do not perform.
Don said the design arose from practical experience with large industrial sites: "It's like trying to get into Fort Knox... you gotta put on safety equipment... it involves a lot of time, not just do the inspection, but just to get in and out of that place." The court and staff discussed Toyota as an example of a plant where maintenance and weekend work drive the need for weekend inspections.
Don also recommended raising the minimum industrial/manufacturing permit fee for weekday commercial permits below $30,000 from $60 to $150 because of the staff time the inspections require. Court members asked whether the change would apply broadly to all plants; Don said it would apply countywide to industrial/manufacturing sites.
Magistrates moved and seconded a motion to adopt the changes and to have staff draft a new fee table; the court approved the recommendation by voice vote. The court asked staff to return with a formal amended fee schedule for adoption.
