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8 <br /> Methodology <br /> Following is a summary of the methodology employed to conduct this study. <br /> User Fee Introduction <br /> User fees are charged in a variety of ways, including: <br /> ♦ Flat (or fixed)fees - The fee is always the same, regardless of the size or complexity of <br /> the service provided. <br /> ♦ Per square foot or linear foot - The fee is calculated based on the size of the project <br /> under review. <br /> Hourly (or time-and-materials) - County staff track time and materials expenses; fees <br /> are calculated to recover actual costs. Hourly rates for different fees might vary <br /> depending upon the hourly rates of the staff completing tasks associated with that fee. <br /> ♦ Actual cost - This fee is charged to recover consultant costs as billed to County, or time <br /> and materials of staff. <br /> Percentage of permit fees - The fee is calculated as a percentage of the original permit <br /> fee. <br /> ♦ Other increments - Fees are calculated based on increments, such as the number of <br /> sheets or the number of set-ups /take-downs. <br /> User Fee Study Methodology <br /> There are several steps involved in estimating the full cost of an activity attached to a user fee: <br /> 1. Data collection <br /> 2. Computing hourly rates <br /> 3. Obtaining estimates of time spent on fee-related activities <br /> 4. Estimating user fees at full cost recovery and projecting changes in revenue <br /> There are also legal, economic, and policy factors that must be considered when making cost <br /> recovery recommendations. <br /> Data Collection <br /> MGT coordinated with County departments to obtain information necessary to complete this <br /> study, including the following: <br /> ♦ Schedules of current user fees, including dollar amounts and annual volumes for each <br /> fee. <br /> ♦ FY 2025 revenue and expenditure information for each department. <br /> ♦ Data about currently occupied positions, salaries, benefits, and FTEs. <br /> ♦ Department organizational charts. <br /> ♦ Cost allocation plans. <br /> MGT then met with each department to learn about the following: <br /> ♦ Desired changes to existing fee schedules, including new fees to be added or existing <br /> fees to combine or delete. <br /> Any positions that are vacant and are planned to be filled. <br /> The time spent by staff in each department providing each service. <br /> MCIT PAGE 4 <br />