Jim Bruzzese, BMA Management Consulting Inc., provided a verbal report on the User Fee Study review and explained that the purpose of the study was to ensure that the fees charged or to be charged by the Town represent the true cost and scope of the various services being provided by the Town of Essex.
Mr. Bruzzese provided a walkthrough of his presentation materials and explained that the fee review included key steps such as the review of departmental budgets, departmental staff interviews, process mapping to support fee calculations, activity based costing, estimated productive hours, review of cost allocation, calculated fees, and benchmarking fees. Mr. Bruzzese stated that the two guiding principles in reviewing users fees are firstly: Service efficiencies meaning that the fees for services are to reflect the efficient costs of carrying out the service and secondly: Fairness and Equity which consists of charging a fee to applicants who receive direct benefit and ensuring that the full cost of service will include direct and indirect costs, overhead and charges for the use of capital assets used to provide the service.
Mr. Bruzzese then noted and walked through the various recommendations for user fees in the Building Department, Planning Department, By-Law Enforcement, Finance and Business Services, Legislative Services, Information Technology/GIS, Cemeteries, Water, Wastewater, and Public Works Department.
It was noted that while Council and the public are only receiving the User Fee Study for its information and feedback at this time the next steps as a result of this review would be Council’s consideration of a future by-law adopting the Fees and charges proposed in the User Fee Study.