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Contractor asks Holmes County to waive $5,195 building permit fee for Council on Aging renovation; board asks staff to research statute
Summary
Contractor for the Holmes County Council on Aging requested the county exempt a $5,195.63 building permit fee for a county-owned renovation; the board took the request under advisement and asked staff to research statutory authority and financial impact on the county building department.
A contractor representing the Holmes County Council on Aging asked the Board of County Commissioners to waive the county building permit fee for a county-owned renovation and addition project.
M. Donipo (architect/representative) told commissioners the project has roughly $900,000 in grant funding from the Florida Department of Commerce and that contractor Bayer Construction had secured the building permit and paid $5,195.63 for the fee. Donipo requested the board consider exempting that fee because the building is county-owned and previous government projects have sometimes been exempted.
Keith (building official) opposed an unconditional waiver, explaining the building department operates as an enterprise funded by permit fees and does not receive general tax revenue for inspections and plan review. “When we waive fees or remove fees or reduce fees, you’re in essence… taking it right out of my budget,” he said. Keith also cited county practice and a county staff note referencing a Florida statute that addresses inspections or reduced fees for public buildings; he said he had not completed research during the meeting.
Commissioners discussed preserving contingency funds in the construction contract because unanticipated conditions are likely in an older building that has had multiple additions. The project team said the contractor had included approximately $25,000 in contingency in the contract and that waiving the permit fee would preserve that contingency for unforeseen work.
Commissioner David made a motion to approve the exemption contingent on receiving state approval or statutory authority; the motion was seconded. The board did not record a final vote on the contingency motion in the transcript and directed staff to research the applicable statute and return with a recommendation.
The County’s building official said the school board handles its own inspections and that exempting fees effectively shifts costs to the building department’s permit-funded budget. The board asked staff to confirm whether state law or exceptions apply to county-owned facilities before taking final action.
