Consulting firm Bellwether Advantage says Knox County has up to $433,000 in untapped fees it could be assessing.
The Knox County Board hired the company in March to do “cost of service” and staffing surveys.
The staffing study will come later in October but Bruce DeLashmit from Bellwether came last night to give members a summary of the findings.
Bellwether’s report gives an idea of the new fees collected which ones go to special department funds and which go to the general fund.
“Now the reason that’s important, and the Recorder is a great example for Knox County, if the fees are established where this document says the costs are at, the Recorder’s department could be fully funded by their fees, including their infrastructure,” DelaShmit says. “So, they essentially become insulated from the pull and drag of budget discussions.”
Some departments can only partially do that, like the county clerk who can fund it’s tax processing but not elections.
Additionally board members voted yes on their intention to build a road to the Knox County Nursing Home.
Bruner, Cooper and Zuck Inc. are currently doing a land survey and Building Committee co-chair Greg “Chops” Bacon says they will come back soon with estimates.
