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Area plan director says permit fees cover staff and asks commissioners to let office retain fees
Summary
Stacy Turner reported $28,097 in permit fee revenue and requested that commissioners allow creation of a perpetuation-style fund so fees could support part-time staffing and enforcement, and asked to increase one part‑time role from 21 to 28 hours/week.
Stacy Turner, the county's area plan and zoning representative, told commissioners that permitting activity is up and that fee revenue collected so far — $28,097 — helps cover staff costs. Turner asked the board to consider allowing the office to retain permit fees in an earmarked account (a perpetuation fund) rather than routing all revenue to the general fund so the office can sustain a larger part-time schedule and pursue code‑enforcement actions.
"As of, yesterday, we've collected $28,097 in fees," Turner said, noting that a higher, stable revenue stream would let the office increase one part-time position from 21 to 28 hours per week. Commissioners asked the auditor and county attorney to research whether state statute or local ordinance permits creating a departmental perpetuation fund and how payroll and fringe (FICA) responsibilities would be handled.
Board members indicated support for letting the office use fee revenue where legally permitted and requested a legal opinion on statutory authority and a proposed ordinance language for an earmarked fund.
