County commissioners approve new fee schedule
Commissioner Jim Raffenburg told Illinois Valley Rotary Club that increased user fees can help offset the cost of some county programs. (Photo by Michelle Binker, IVN)
From our weekly issue dated December 5, 2007
What was anticipated to be a low-key Josephine County Commission meeting Wednesday, Nov. 28 in Anne Basker Auditorium in Grants Pass turned into anything but a routine meeting, apparently as a result of a letter printed in the Grants Pass Daily Courier the day before.
In the letter, Grants Pass resident Paul Walter stated that “Commissioners Dave Toler and Dwight Ellis held a non-televised public meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday (Nov. 21) to secretly impose and sneak in new and higher fees.” Three individuals were present during the most recent county commission meeting in support of that view. And the three, Lorraine Walter, Kurt Ramme and Pamela Hackett, dominated the tone of the meeting.
The issue in question was the county’s exploration of raising certain fees already charged by the county for essential services. For instance, dog licensing fees will increase $3, going from $35 to $38. Fees to cover the cost of restaurant inspection for a facility seating up to 50 will increase a total of $16 from $498 to $514.
In all, 205 types of fees are listed in the action; and of these, 131 will not change; some will be reduced. An example of a reduction is an enterprise that operates 250 vending machines. Its yearly licensing fees will drop $91, from $441 to $350.
The largest increases in fees came in the area of “Environmental Health Fees” and deal with inspections of restaurants, hotels and motels, child-care facilities and other related operations. Although Commission Chairman Jim Raffenburg opposed the fee increases, he stated during the meeting that the material he saw justifies an increase in that area.
His general opposition to the increases stemmed from what he said was a lack of information from the other agencies affected by the increases. “That is a major problem for me,“ he stated during discussion.
Toler stated that this issue has been under consideration for more than two months and that letters had been sent to all people who would be directly affected. Illinois Valley News confirmed this statement by checking with restaurants which had received a letter dated Oct. 18 explaining the pending increase.
He added that Raffennburg’s stated objection was not made to him during the two months.
Two Grants Pass residents commented during public discussion indicating that although they did not like the fee increases, they understood their necessity and would pay them without complaint.
Concerning the allegations of a “secret” meeting, Ellis explained the situation this way: Most of these meetings are held at 9 a. m. However, every third Wednesday the meeting is held at 7 p.m. to allow an opportunity for those unable to attend morning meetings to express their views to the commission. The commissioners realized that the Nov. 22 meeting, regularly scheduled as an evening meeting, would fall on the night before Thanksgiving.
They rescheduled the meeting at 9 a.m. However, they did not have time to properly follow state requirements for public notification. The end result was that two meetings were held Nov. 22; one at 9 a.m. and one at 7 p.m. Because there is a cost to televising the meeting it was decided to save money by not televising the evening meeting.
According to Toler, commission vice chairman, no action was scheduled to be taken. Ellis commented that they expected to open the meeting, recite the Pledge of Allegiance, and close the meeting. Ellis added that the commissioners simply had made a scheduling error, which he regretted.
This explanation was given as a result of questioning by Ramme. After the explanation he stated for the record that he could accept the explanation as valid and further that he could accept the fact that a mistake had been made. After discussion however Ramme told I. V. News that he was being forced to accept the explanation and compared the attempt at a “secret meeting” to what he believes to be governmental conspiracies against U.S. citizens.
Hackett went further in the public discussion, accusing Toler of being a “die-hard socialist and Communist.” She went on to attack Ellis, telling him, “You are a threat to the future of Josephine County.”
The outcome was that the fee increases were approved 2-1 with Raffenburg not in favor of the changes.
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