HomeMy WebLinkAbout08.a.1) Update on permit counter and connection fee collection matters.Central Contra Costa Sanitary District
April 12, 2012
TO: THE HONORABLE BOARD OF DIRECTO S
VIA: ANN E. FARRELL, GENERAL MANAGER
JARRED MIYAMOTO- MILLS, PROVISION L ENVIRONMENTAL
SERVICES DIVISION MANAGER
FROM: TOM GODSEY, SENIOR ENGINEER4�,
SUBJECT: OUTSTANDING DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FEES - UPDATE
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At its March 15, 2012 regular meeting, the Board received a report on the recently
concluded Audit of Permit Counter and Connection Fee Connection Practices by Bartle
Wells Associates. The Board directed staff to report progress on implementing the
audit's recommendations at each subsequent Board meeting. This memo presents our
second report. Over the past two weeks, staff has done the following:
• Prepared a detailed procedures handbook for Outstanding Fees Report Analysis
for temporary accounting staff to use in their investigation.
• Completed training of Accountemps staff in Sunguard - Building Permits,
Laserfiche, Geographic Data Integration (GDI), and Application procedures.
Observed in the initial stage of the evaluation effort that a number of duplicate
entries for large developments have been identified. This has apparently
occurred when a developer receives a single fee quote for multiple building
connections on a property, but subsequently pulls separate permits to connect
each individual building. The original fee quote remains in the system despite
being "cancelled" when the subsequent permits are issued. Going forward, the
process will be amended to cancel these applications by adding a note to the file
and manually deleting the duplicate fees.
• Continued fee collection process for properties where fees due had been
identified prior to the current evaluation effort.
• Held a meeting with Contra Costa County building permit and public works staff
to seek improved collaboration between our agencies. The County's attendees
tentatively agreed to allow CCCSD sign off on final inspections. The County
provides Building Permit services for Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga, Alamo, and
unincorporated areas. This was the second agency contacted (the City of
Outstanding Development Services Fees - Update
April 12, 2012
Page 2 of 2
Pleasant Hill was the first). The next scheduled meeting will be with the City of
Walnut Creek.
• Obtained septic tank abandonment records from the Contra Costa County
Environmental Health Division to facilitate resolving outstanding applications for
septic tank conversions.
The application evaluation team's work will be completed by June 30, 2012. Where
applications with verified fees owed are identified, staff will immediately commence
pursuing collection. Collection efforts may extend into 2013 depending on the volume
and complexity of applications where we determine that fees are collectible.
TG:sdh
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