WLKM Radio 95.9 FM
St. Joseph County officials are mulling whether to raise a variety of fees associated with various county-provided services.
During their executive committee meeting Tuesday, commissioners reviewed a four-page document produced by a company hired to study current and recommended user fees. It also analyzed the actual cost of each service.
The county had previously authorized a $55,000 contract with Bay City-based MGT Consulting Group to conduct the user-fee study within all county departments.
The list of services potentially subject to adjustment includes intake, euthanization and adoption fees at animal control; wedding and notarization from the county clerk’s office; Live Scan fingerprinting and daily lodging rate at the sheriff’s department; and camping at Cade Lake County Park.
County administrator Teresa Doehring said all potential increases are, at the moment, a moving target and subject to greater scrutiny before approval. In almost all cases, the proposed increases are nominal.
Commissioners are expected to act on the proposal at Tuesday’s board meeting next week.
Why raise rates for animal adoptions? That will only encourage people to shop instead of adopting causing more animals to remain at animal control even longer only to cause less intakes due to not having room for new intakes or surrenders. As much as people donate money, food, treats, blankets, towels, household cleaners, blankets, etc….saving animal control expenses, why raise adoption fees causing it to be more difficult for those poor fur babies to find a forever home?