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Commissioners discuss building‑department fee schedule and potential ordinance updates; board asks for detailed numbers
Summary
The board discussed proposed changes to building department fees and possible ordinance updates. Commissioners and staff sought detailed revenue and expense numbers before any changes, and the item was left for further study.
Elbert County commissioners reviewed proposed changes to the building department fee schedule and discussed the fiscal impact across the county’s 2025 budget.
Rob (chief building official) and staff presented a highlighted list of proposed fee adjustments intended to reduce costs for permit applicants. Commissioners and the board’s CDS director discussed the use of the International Code Council building valuation data table as a basis for some permit fees and noted the table’s own caution that data are averages and not estimates for specific construction.
Commissioner Buck described examples where the department’s valuation approach could overcharge applicants — a listener described a pole barn with an engineered plan priced much lower than the valuation table resulted in — and recommended further review. The board discussed a proposed 25% modifier for certain categories and considered reducing an annual contractor license fee, which could lower revenue by tens of thousands of dollars.
Finance staff and the assessor urged caution. Finance director Tiffany Hermes explained there is no literal “rollover” of budget but fund balances; she said one‑time equipment requests could be funded but recurring reductions in fee revenue would need offsetting changes. Assessor Susan Murphy and County Treasurer Sherry Hewlett emphasized long‑term fiscal discipline and the need to avoid using reserves for ongoing services.
Commissioners asked staff for detailed revenue impact modeling and stated they were not ready to adopt fee reductions at this meeting. The board agreed to gather more precise numbers and, if possible, to return the item as an action item once the fiscal impacts can be demonstrated.
