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North Shore Health Department asks Shorewood to adopt reinspection fees; board defers ordinance but approves fee schedule
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Summary
North Shore Health Department staff told trustees that state cost increases and program shortfalls require charging for reinspections; the board deferred a formal ordinance (text not yet prepared) but approved the 2026–27 fee schedule and agreed to take the ordinance up at a future meeting.
North Shore Health Department staff presented a request to amend village code to permit reinspection fees, citing rising program costs, increased state charges and a growing shortfall in the environmental health consortium’s budget.
Department staff explained the consortium pays a percentage of license fees to its state contract and that recent steps have increased the department’s costs; they estimated a roughly $30,000 shortfall that the fee changes would help address. Staff said they previously provided reinspections at no charge and that standard practice elsewhere is to charge a reinspection fee to recoup staff time.
Trustees expressed concern about the timing and impact on local businesses given ongoing Oakland Avenue construction and stressed sensitivity to small businesses struggling with construction effects. Staff noted the reinspection fee is intended to cover the cost of follow-up inspections when violations require re-checks and that the department is not seeking profit on reinspections.
Because the ordinance text required to amend code had not been prepared in formal ordinance format, staff asked to defer adoption to the next meeting so the board could review the drafted ordinance. The board voted to defer ordinance 3086 to the next regular meeting. Separately, the board approved the North Shore Health Department 2026–27 fee schedule by voice vote (5–1).
Health-department staff said the reinspection fee is based on staff time spent on subsequent inspections and not tiered by facility complexity; they also said the consortium’s licensing year begins July 1 and that other member municipalities had begun considering similar updates.
