Agenda - 04-17-2008-3 - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: April 17, 2008 Action Agenda Item No. 3 SUBJECT: Proposed Fiscal Year 2008-09 County Fee and Occupancy Tax Chan es DEPARTMENT: Budget PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No ATTACHMENT(S): Proposed Fee Changes for Fiscal Year 2008-09 INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Blackmon, (919) 245-2300 Donna Coffey, (919) 245-2151 PURPOSE: To review and discuss proposed County fee and occupancy tax changes for fiscal year 2008-09. BACKGROUND: Counties in North Carolina have authority to recoup, through user fees, costs associated with a number of programs. Each year, staff reviews currently charged fees to determine if the current fees are appropriate, or if they need to be updated to reflect actual costs to deliver the associated service. State statutes and other legislative mandates govern fees associated with departments such as the Health Department, Department of Social Services, Register of Deeds and Sheriff. The attached spreadsheet, Proposed Fee Changes for Fiscal Year 2008-09, provides a list of proposed fee changes for the upcoming fiscal year. The effective date of the new fees and occupancy tax is July 1, 2008. In summary, the proposed fees include: / Animal Services -the Board approved the fees included on the spreadsheet on December 3, 2007 with an effective date of July 1, 2008. / Health Department -The Board of Health updates its fee schedule annually to reflect the most recent Medicaid reimbursement rates. In addition, lab fees charged reflect direct lab fee costs incurred by the Department for services performed by UNC and State labs. / Social Services -Effective January 1, 2008, state adoption laws (NCGS 48-9-101, 48-9- 104 and 48-9-109) were amended to allow licensed child placing agencies including, departments of social services, to voluntarily act as confidential intermediaries between adult adoptees, adult lineal descendants of a deceased adult adoptee, parents of adoptees under the age of 21, and birth parents. The department will charge a prepaid non-refundable fee of $300. The department will reduce or waive fees for those applicants who have verified income at 200 % of the poverty level or below.