Trustees probe credit-card surcharges, permit-fee options and ambulance billing changes

Finance staff presented three fee-related topics: credit-card processing fees, permit-fee concepts, and ambulance billing. On credit-card fees, trustees asked staff for detail on alternate payment channels such as ACH and emphasized that a non-fee option should remain if card surcharges are adopted. On permit fees, staff compared neighboring community fees and outlined options including a demolition fee (to be considered in the Housing and Historic Preservation plans), a potential technology fee, and sliding-scale structures tied to permit size; trustees asked for specific sliding-scale proposals and cost estimates and were generally supportive of reduced sustainability permit fees but wanted eligibility and cost data.

On ambulance billing, staff reviewed components of current charges (service-type charge, resident vs. non-resident rates and balance billing) and potential state Medicaid reimbursement changes; trustees expressed interest in eliminating balance billing and consolidating two ALS categories and asked staff to design revenue-neutral billing models for Committee review.