Park County commissioners adopt fee schedule for health-department plan reviews and inspections

Park County commissioners voted June 23 to approve a resolution authorizing a new fee schedule for licensed establishment plan review and prelicense inspections, a change county staff said will charge applicants for staff time that previously was borne largely by taxpayers.

Travis, a Park County staff member presenting the proposal, told the commission the county charged nothing for these reviews before 2023 and that the draft fees are modeled on Gallatin County’s approach, using a base rate of $84 per hour. He said a typical preoperational inspection averages about $126, which accounts for inspection and travel time. "Our county residents, the citizens that are paying taxes, have a vested interest in safe establishments," Travis said, adding that "the burden's been too much on them relative to the establishment owners" under the previous arrangement.

The proposal applies only to new establishments; existing establishments licensed through the state will not be charged again unless there is a change requiring a plan review. Commissioners and staff discussed ownership transfers and a "minor plan review" category intended for modest ownership changes or small alterations; staff said minor reviews assume roughly one hour of administrative time at the base hourly rate.

Commissioner Vermillion said the change is part of longer-term planning to relieve pressure on the general fund and that "it's time to step into the 21st century and pay for the services you are receiving." Commissioner Story moved to adopt the resolution; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously.

The ordinance as discussed preserves statutory fee requirements where they exist: commissioners and staff noted statutory fees remain unchanged for items such as day‑care inspections ($25) and cottage‑food registrations ($40). Staff also said temporary-event fees and other categories are structured by establishment size and complexity and that the county built in travel-time and other administrative costs for remote locations such as Cooke City.

Why this matters: county health‑department plan reviews and inspections aim to ensure safe food and public accommodation operations. Commissioners said aligning fees with neighboring counties and explicitly charging applicants for staff time will protect the general fund while maintaining regulatory oversight.

Votes at a glance (actions approved during the June 23 meeting):
- Fee resolution for health-department plan review and prelicense inspections — approved (motion: Commissioner Story; second: not specified; result: unanimous vote in favor).
- Submission of grant application for Yellowstone Gateway Museum for scanning/printing equipment — approved.
- Park County DUI task force annual plan and budget — approved.
- Amendment to WIC program task order (contract date alignment) — approved.
- Posting/hiring two part-time seasonal solid-waste employees — approved.
- Appointment recommendation for Maria Scogin to the city-county library board (5-year term beginning 07/01/2026) — approved.
- LVM capital improvement plan as recommended by the airport board — approved.
- Meeting minutes for 06/16/2026 and 06/18/2026 — approved.

Officials said there was no public comment on the fee resolution during the hearing. Staff said the county modeled most charges on Gallatin County fee levels and will publish the adopted schedule online and apply it to new license applicants going forward.

The commission moved on to other agenda items following the vote; the resolution and the adopted fee table will be available in county records and on the county website.