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While it is interesting to see the board of commissioners agree on something, it is important for the board to carefully consider the financial burden and manpower strain of the state-mandated and unfunded well inspection program set to go in effect July 2008.
Commissioners are concerned the board of health’s recommended $200 fee is too expensive for the inspection of a new well, abandonment, or in certain circumstances, the repair of wells.
Commissioners must realize if fees collected do not cover the cost of the program, taxpayers will be left to foot the bill.
We thank commissioners for their concerns about the time it would take to complete an inspection, the wait individual well owners would be subject to, and the effect it will have an low-income individuals. Those concerns are important and need to be considered.
However, they should not deter the board from realizing the benefit of a $40,000 grant and setting a reasonable fee. While 40,000 won’t cover the cost of the program perpetually, it would lessen the expense on the county and perhaps even individuals applying for permits.
If only kits were purchased, the $40,000 would buy more than 720.
Furthermore, if the county must provide additional services and the state requires it why not offer those services in a speedy manner. If commissioners have concerns about permit inspections taking several days to get completed they should consider that a department with more duties, more requirements and more responsibilities passed onto them from the state may take more time to complete a job if it is in fact understaffed.
In light of it being a necessity, commissioners should not set a fee that doesn’t cover expenses.
The health department and board of health have crunched the numbers, do commissioners have reason to believe the cost estimate is off the mark?
The model well program is obviously going to take manpower, time and more money to operate, and adopting a fee schedule and the policy early is an opportunity for the county to set the program up to be self sufficient. Otherwise, we will be left to dip once again into a fund balance that has been dipped into too many times already or once again raise taxes.