Franklin County planning and building director proposes 2% technology fee, new grant-funded planner in 2026 budget

Franklin County Planning and Building Director Wes McCart told the Board of Commissioners at a budget workshop that he will propose adding a 2% technology fee to permit costs and seek new fee adjustments and staff positions as part of the 2026 budget.

McCart said the fee would apply to both planning and building permits and would “pay to get the training and the program and the technology developed and stay ongoing to get our SmartGov program to be out facing.” He told the commissioners the county’s IT budget already includes SmartGov licensing and some training dollars but that a small added charge on permits would support integration and ongoing staff training.

McCart said he raised his department’s revenue estimates relative to the 2025 adopted budget to be more realistic about permit receipts and noted building permits have flattened since 2023–24 but that he expects more residential development in 2026 tied to recent approvals. He told commissioners the building side’s current-year permit intake stood at about $3.89 million to date and that, after extrapolation, he expected permit revenue could be in the $4.5 million range if activity stays steady.

Why it matters: McCart framed the technology fee as a way to fund faster online permit processing and automated deficiency letters, naming SmartGov and an expected Bluebeam integration as tools that would let contractors and homeowners submit materials and receive automated deficiency notices. He said the county could integrate permitting from other departments such as public works and the health department so reviews arrive and notify stakeholders more quickly.

Key details and next steps: McCart said implementing a technology fee would require a formal board action and public hearing. Administrator Danzel and McCart agreed to work together to prepare a formal proposal and to advertise it for a future meeting; McCart said he would bring a draft in his update at next week’s meeting. Commissioners also discussed whether to place the fee as a percent added to permit costs or to fold it into an updated fee schedule.

Staffing and program changes: McCart asked to reallocate some payroll costs between planning and building to reflect where staff time is spent, and he said reallocation aligns the department’s accounting with auditor expectations. He requested two positions: a long‑range planner he said would be funded largely by grants in 2026 and a temporary technical writer to support climate‑element and comprehensive plan grant work. McCart said the long‑range planner would be intended as a permanent position if grant and revenue prospects allow; the technical writer would be temporary and contingent on grant availability.

Process and hearing changes: McCart proposed setting aside professional‑services money for occasional outside reviews of complex commercial applications and for a hearing examiner to speed conditional‑use and appeal timelines. He described the current process for conditional uses as taking four to five weeks and said a hearing examiner would shorten that timeline; appeals from hearing‑examiner decisions would still be available to superior court.

Quotes: “I’m proposing that we add a 2% technology fee,” McCart said. “This would be both on the planning and building side.” He added, “It would take a board action…we would have to advertise for it.”

Budget context: McCart said he lowered certain non‑payroll building expenses and reclassified items to appropriate lines, and that overall non‑payroll expenses declined compared with the 2025 budget after adjustments. He reported adding about $390,000 in revenue for a climate grant line and described a $350,000 grant for the comprehensive plan and development regulations update; McCart said timing of grant reimbursements may shift some expenses and revenues between 2025 and 2026.

What’s next: Commissioners directed staff to get the technology fee item on a future meeting agenda so it can be advertised and considered. McCart said he would coordinate with Administrator Danzel and bring a formal proposal and fee schedule language at an upcoming meeting.