I just noticed on the 2007 budget for the Shiawassee Health Department that they are forecasting bringing in $41,300 in fees in the soil erosion program.
Wow.
They got lucky when the Board gave them the work.
This new source of revenue will cover the salary of the lowest paid Sanitarian. (Well, the 2nd lowest paid … the lowest paid was laid off)
I don’t know how much in soil erosion fees the Drain Office was bringing in each year, but Bernie was vouchering a good chunk of those fees, and he was accused of taking $32,000 over 14 years. The demand for soil erosion inspections is tied directly to building, and building is down in Shiawassee. So if the Health Department figures it will make $41,300 off these inspections in 2007, then I’m just going to guess that they have raised the fees for these inspections through the proverbial roof.
It’s interesting, if you’re a wonk like me.
I wonder what else we’ll find in the Health Dept. budget if we poke around.
The first thing I notice, in just looking at the non-rep (non-union) salaries, is that Director George Pichette makes $79,720 … more than any of our elected officials, and nearly as much as a state legislator. I also see that the department has its own IS person on at $51,837, which was a surprise to me because I thought there was one IS person for all departments in the county. Not to mention that information work can be outsourced and performed by a small business that can do it cheaper, better, and faster. This seems like a silly expense.
The next thing I notice on page 2 of the budget (expenditures) is that salaries have been reduced by over $288,000, which I am guessing is due to cutting the MIHP and laying off 8 nurses. (2 non-reps were also laid off). However salaries are still $1,563,738. Of that, $645,101 are the administrative salaries listed here.
Oh, and unemployment is up $73,000.
Something just seems wrong here.
Here are my documents … click on the images for bigger pics. PDF documents are on the way.
You can contact the Drain offic for a comparison of soil erosin ees. Some fees have gone up from 140% to 600%. Outlandish and they say Holzhausen and Butcher were screwing the public while the truth is Mad dog Colbry and all are putting Shiawassee residents to the screw. They are charging $70 for what they are accusing Holzhausen of illegally charging ($25) for (waivers) just under more tricky wording!!! They (the county) need to sue themselves for their complete stupidity and gouging outlandish fees!!
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Screw the people – over and over, but don’t pay the Drn Cmrs to do this work.
This needs to be a letter to the editor and I’ll write one right behind it.
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@Tuvia, I am going to call Gary next week & see if I can get some info on it.
I am still curious if they are charging for waivers … I was sure that Randy Colbry said that if you do not need a permit, then the soil erosion act does not apply to you, therefore the fee schedule does not apply, therefore you do not have to pay. This was in reference to Gary charging for a waiver. So if that’s true then the Health Dept can’t charge for waivers either.
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The drain office made up a letter that was sent to all the commssioners explaining the soil erosion program. There is a chart showing the diffrences between the fees now and between 2002-2006. Ask for this letter and they will provide you with one.
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Just got an email from a CPS worker … 8 positions were eliminated … not 8 nurses. 4 were rep, 4 were non-rep. My bad … thought I saw in the Argus that it was 8 nurses.
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construction construction
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