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Madera County hears user-fee study and first-quarter budget report amid projected deficits
Summary
County staff presented a user-fee study showing departments recover about 58% of costs and outlined options to raise municipal fees; separate first-quarter budget updates showed a $1.3M FY24–25 deficit and projections that reserve could hit zero in 2026 without transfers or new revenue.
Madera County staff on Nov. 18 summarized a countywide user-fee study and a first-quarter budget update that together framed near-term choices on fees, transfers and potential service-level changes.
Lauren Guido of NBS, the consultant on the user-fee study, told the board the data-driven analysis measured fully burdened hourly rates and compared current fees to cost-recovery benchmarks. "So when we look at the county departments that we studied as a whole, currently, they're recovering about 58% of the costs," Guido said, adding that existing fee revenue for the studied departments is roughly $7.6 million while maximum justifiable fee levels could yield about $13.2 million.
Community and Economic Development Director Jamie Becks and consultant Lauren Guido told the board staff will return with fee-adoption scenarios; development-related fees will be subject to the 60‑day post-adoption waiting period required by state law.
Separately, Joel (County Administrative Office) presented the first-quarter FY25–26 budget status and five-year projections. Staff reported the county closed FY24–25 with an approximately $1.3 million operating deficit and projected discretionary revenues $700,000 below prior assumptions; sales-tax shifts and statewide allocations contributed to the change. Without action, staff projected fund-balance reserve depletion near 06/30/2026.
To avoid reserve exhaustion, staff recommended transferring Local Agency and Tribal Consistency Fund (LATCF/ARPA carve-out) dollars (approximately $4.1 million) to operating transfers for the sheriff's jail division. The board approved that direction by roll call (5–0).
During public comment, Jessica Probst, speaking for AFSCME Local 2703 clerical/technical unit members, urged reconsideration of employee wage increases, saying staff were "in crisis" and that many county employees require public assistance despite full-time employment. The board acknowledged the wage concern and discussed revenue and expenditure options, including user-fee adjustments, exploring additional TOT (transient occupancy tax) options, and pursuing grants or operational efficiencies.
Staff said the user-fee study and budget projections will inform future hearings where the board will weigh fee adoption, possible phased adjustments (including CPI indexing and phased-in increases), and strategic use of one-time funds versus ongoing revenue changes.
