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Commissioners review FY2027 fee changes: ambulance rates, flat CPR fee, Jonestown water and town admin cap
Summary
County staff briefed commissioners on proposed fee adjustments for FY2027 including a $100 increase per ambulance transport tier, a flat CPR card fee of $25, a suggested Jonestown water flat-rate increase toward a breakeven of about $403/year, and phasing the town administrative fee cap to $28,000 (from $22,500). Commissioners asked for further data and deferred final approval.
Deputy County Administrator Daniel Fox and finance staff presented proposed FY2027 fee changes to the Caroline County Commissioners on May 12, covering emergency services, a small community water system, and administrative charges to incorporated towns.
Public‑safety fee changes proposed by Emergency Services included a $100 per‑tier increase to ambulance transport charges (from $550/$650/$750 to $650/$750/$850, respectively) and retention of $19 per transport mileage. Staff said these changes reflect allowable billing caps and operational cost pressures; the board discussed fairness and insurance billing practices and did not object to the proposed increases.
On CPR certification fees, staff proposed simplifying multiple card types into a flat $25 fee to reflect actual card and manual costs; officials said the intent is cost recovery rather than profit and emphasized the importance of keeping certification accessible for responders and local agencies.
Public works staff raised Jonestown Water System fees: 53 connected properties currently pay a flat $350 annually; operating expense last year was roughly $21,050, and staff calculated a breakeven of about $403 per connection. Commissioners asked staff to present options that allow for gradual increases and to create a capital‑reserve plan to fund future pump or infrastructure replacements.
The finance office also proposed further phasing the administrative fee cap charged to towns for county tax and collection services—raising the cap from $22,500 to $28,000 now with an eye to removing the cap in future years. Staff noted that Denton is the primary town hitting the cap and that rising compliance costs justify the change.
No final fee resolutions were adopted that day; staff will incorporate commissioners’ feedback and produce a revised resolution for adoption at upcoming meetings. The tax-rate setting and budget workshops were scheduled for May 19 and successive Tuesdays through June, with a target to finalize a proposed budget by the second Tuesday in June.
What’s next: staff to return with revised fee-resolution language, capital‑reserve proposals for Jonestown water and detailed budget materials for the scheduled workshops.
