Last modified: Thursday, August 21, 2008 2:57 PM PDT County Court OK’s new license fees By Larry Meyer Argus Observer NYSSA — Restaurants, motels and RV park operators across Eastern Oregon will see the fee for annual licenses climb after a decision by the Malheur County Court Wednesday. The court approved a proposal by the Malheur County Environmental Health Department for the fee boost to help the agency keep pace with the cost of traveling long distances to reach the businesses it is charged to inspect. The Environmental Health Department inspects food and lodging facilities from McDermitt, at the south end of Malheur County and to such outposts as Sumpter, Halfway and Oxbow in Baker County. Malheur County Environmental Health Department officer Sue Fuller, who asked the court for a 10 percent fee boost, said the county’s fees for such inspections had not increased since 1999. Fuller said she had contacted Baker County officials about the pending increase. “They had no problem,� she said. Also, she had not received any comment from restaurant or hotel owners. Baker County is one of 11 counties around the state which are not large enough in population to have their own environmental health departments, and some departments, which operate under the authority of the state, are struggling financially and cutting back on service, Fuller said. “We’ve been doing Baker since 1992,� she said. “Our fees are the lowest in the state.� Malheur County has followed the state minimum on fees, while other counties have raised tolls the 20 percent allowed without having to justify the increases. Fuller said she would have liked a 20 percent increase Also, because the state oversees and facilitates the environmental health programs, it also shares in the proceeds. The state receives $15 per restaurant inspection, $25 per swimming pool and $9 per motel or hotel, Fuller said. Under the new license fee schedule, a restaurant seating 51 to 150 seats will play $520 compared to the current inspection fee of $472.50. All fees were rounded to the nearest dollar before the increase, Fuller said. Reinspection fees and late fees were not changed. On temporary restaurants, there are no fees on licenses for those raising funds for benevolent causes, and fees for plan reviews were raised except for warehouses. Fees for camps, motels/hotels/hostels will go up to $88 from $80. The $1 surcharge will not change.