Hardeman County Commission Votes to Substantially Increase Fees
Hardeman County Commissioners voted to substantially increase permit fees at their January meeting. Zoning Compliance Officer Jim Pierce presented the commission with a new fee schedule and said no one was certain when the last fee hike had taken place, but likely not since 1992. The permit fee was a flat $50, but Mr. Pierce claimed that was less than other counties and a fee hike was needed to keep Hardeman County rates comparable to other counties.
Commissioner David Bell questioned Mr. Pierce on the need for the increase.
“How is the department doing from a budget standpoint? Are y’all in the red so that we need to go up?,” asked Commissioner Bell.
Mr. Pierce responded, they were “tracking to budget.”
“We’re where we should be at the midpoint of the year,” answered Mr. Pierce who also commented he felt his office staff was underpaid, that everyone in the administration is underpaid.
Commissioner Johnny Lanier clarified that the fees don’t stay in the zoning office, but are deposited into the general fund.
Commissioner Bell stated, “But if we don’t need the money to fund the office . . . going up just because . . . we’re not in this to make money. We’re in this to serve the public.”
Commissioner Bell continued, “It’s basically a tax hike. Just because everyone else can get it doesn’t mean we have to do it to the people of Hardeman County.”
Under the new fee schedule, a building permit for a new 2,500 square foot home would cost $435, compared to the previous rate of $50. Other increases included mobile home permits, which increase to: single wide, $100; double wide, $200; and triple wide, $300. Solar farm permits will now cost $1,000. At minimum, every permit fee was at least doubled.
When it came time for commissioners to vote, only two voted against the new rate hike, David Bell and Johnny Weems.
Jim Pierce was appointed to the zoning office this past fall by Mayor Todd Pulse after Geneva Cossar retired at the end of the term of previous Hardeman County Mayor Jimmy Sain.
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