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Board adopts county fee-schedule updates; directs Parks to waive Veterans Day entrance fees
Summary
After debate, the board adopted ordinances updating Schedule A (calendar year 2025) and Schedule B (FY 2025–26) fee schedules to move about 78% of fees toward full cost recovery and increase estimated fee revenue by $2.8 million. Separately, supervisors directed Parks to waive park entrance fees for veterans on Veterans Day.
The Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to adopt updates to the county’s fee schedules for calendar year 2025 and fiscal year 2025–26, moving a majority of fees toward full cost recovery and directing county parks staff to develop a Veterans Day entrance-fee waiver.
Olena Nagorno, administrative analyst for accounting, presented the five-year full review of 1,280 county fees. Staff recommended changes that would boost estimated fee revenue by $2.8 million (about 6% overall) and move 78% of fees toward full cost recovery, in keeping with board policy that fees should recover costs when reasonably possible. Nagorno told the board that fee revenues make up roughly 6.3% of the county’s total budget and warned that underrecovering fees shifts costs to taxpayers.
Board members divided on timing. Some supervisors, citing working families and current financial strain, expressed concern about raising fees now; others emphasized the county’s program obligations and the responsibility to recover costs for customer-driven services. After discussion, the board approved the fee-schedule ordinances at Tuesday’s hearing.
Supervisor Paulding also proposed — and the board approved — direction for Parks and Recreation to develop a program to waive park entrance fees for veterans on Veterans Day, including active-duty, reserve and historically recognized veteran categories. County counsel confirmed the board could adopt the fee ordinances and separately direct parks to implement the waiver.
What’s next: Fees in Schedule A take effect Jan. 1, 2025; Schedule B changes take effect July 1, 2025. Parks staff will return with implementation details for the Veterans Day fee waiver.
