Health Commission’s fee hikes raise council ire

Permits for restaurants, vital statistics and septic systems will cost more

By: Kara Fitzpatrick
   Despite opposition from members of the Borough Council, the Health Commission on Tuesday unanimously approved increasing permit fees for restaurants, vital statistics and septic systems.
   The increases, Health Commission members said at Tuesday’s meeting, are imperative in order for the Health Department to cover the cost of the services.
   But members of the Borough Council who opposed the increases expressed confusion, saying that when the ordinance was introduced last month, the commission indicated the added funds would be used to initiate new services.
   Moreover, there is no guarantee that the additional funds raised by the fee hikes will go to support Health Department programs.
   The measure will result in various rate hikes for all permits except those needed for food vending machines, which will remain at $25 annually. Effective May 4, some fees will increase by as little as $10 — it will now cost $25 instead of $15 for certified copies of vital statistics — and others will more than double — for example, the cost of a septic plan revision will jump from $90 to $225.
   The increases are necessary and "are really quite consistent with other towns’ costs," commission Chairwoman Susan Goldman Kapoor said.
   Borough Councilman and commission liaison Andrew Koontz disagreed, calling the fee increases "unacceptably high."
   Mr. Koontz said locally owned restaurants will suffer as a result of the fee hikes. Depending on the capacity of an establishment, its annual permit cost will increase by as much as $100.
   "That’s a little hard to swallow," Mr. Koontz said.
   Health Officer David Henry defended the increases.
   "We’re at a point right now, by raising fees to this level, that we will be covering costs," Mr. Henry said.
   But Mr. Koontz objected and said that when the ordinance was introduced, it seemed clear that the commission intended to use the additional funds for extra programs and services.
   At an earlier meeting, commission members said the increased revenue was needed to bring the Health Department into compliance with state and federal mandates, such as bioterrorism preparation and pandemic planning and response, and to hire a part-time secretary and full-time public health educator.
   Implementing extra services "is what I think was the original impetus of raising the fees," Mr. Koontz said.
   However, Ms. Kapoor said Tuesday that the fees would not be used to fuel more services and were instead needed for the department to simply stay afloat.
   Ms. Kapoor said she estimated that it costs the Health Department $90,000 annually just to issue food certificates. "We don’t charge enough to cover these costs," she said.
   Borough Administrator Bob Bruschi confirmed Wednesday that the additional funds would not be in the hands of the Health Department or the Health Commission for dissemination.
   "At this point, they will be handled like every other fee that is collected and go into the general fund," Mr. Bruschi said.
   Borough Council President Peggy Karcher, a Finance Committee member, agreed with Mr. Koontz that the rationale behind the fee increases was confusing. Ms. Karcher said it was her understanding that the fees would generate about $150,000 more annually.
   "They are generating fees on the backs of, basically, the downtown businesses," Ms. Karcher said. She said when the ordinance was introduced, she, like Mr. Koontz, believed the commission made clear its intention to put the fees toward additional resources.
   "Another set of eyes should be looking at the way the money is spent in the Health Department and, therefore, I’d prefer it if they didn’t have control of this money," Ms. Karcher said.
   Mr. Koontz said he believed the issue of fee increases was already addressed in 2004. He questioned why fees needed to be raised again — and by such a margin.
   Mr. Henry said fees are reviewed on a yearly basis and that the approved structure will allow the Health Department to cover costs.