Clash over public health services sharply divides Benton, Franklin commissioners

Two Franklin County commissioners have blocked a proposal to raise fees for a limited number of services provided by the Benton Franklin Health District to cover rising district costs.

Franklin County commissioners Rocky Mullen and Clint Didier opposed the increases, while Benton County commissioners Michael Alvarez and Will McKay voted in favor at a recent health district board meeting.

After a discussion that got testy at times, the motion failed on a 2-2 tie.

In addition to the four county commissioners, the health district board includes health experts. But under Washington state law they are not allowed to vote on most financial matters, including setting fees.

The health district is limited to collecting fees in amounts that cover its costs for providing specific services and cannot make a profit from fees, explained Janae Parent, the district administrator.

The health district considers the cost of their staff’s time when it sets rates and also checks to see if fees charged are in line with other health districts, including those of similar size.

The majority of the money to be collected under the proposed increased fees was for inspecting public and commercial swimming pools for safety. Some of the fees hadn’t been raised for 12 years.

Among other fees that Mullen and Didier questioned were billing Medicare and Medicaid for the amounts the government insurance programs routinely pay for services such as HIV tests.

Patients are not required to pay the health district any money out-of-pocket for testing for HIV or sexually transmitted infections.

Both Mullen and Didier said that when fees get too high, people stop getting services meant to protect the public.

Commissioners disagree on fee increases

McKay, who owns a construction and contracting company, said he has no problem with fee increases.

Fees have gone up in the construction industry and what the health district staff was asking the board to approve made sense, he said.

The health board should at least test the proposed increases for a year and see if the district breaks even on the services they cover, he said.

Alvarez said Benton County had worked hard to reduce the county tax burden, but covering the staff costs for providing a specific service makes sense.

If Medicare or Medicaid can help pay the cost of an employee providing medical tests, the health district should bill them, he said.

Alvarez said that as next steps are considered, he wanted Mullen to go on record on why he objected to the fee increases. Mullen replied that he did not need to explain his vote.

Mullen called for more justification of fees and said that the health district could consider cutting other services rather than raising fees. If fees are for services that are in the public’s interest, the district should cover half the cost rather than charging a fee for the full cost, he said.

The meeting concluded without clear direction on what the health district staff should do to address a budget deficit caused by fees that do not cover costs for some services.

Janae Parent said the district board not backing fee changes to cover the cost of services is unprecedented.

Currently, the cost per person for health district services is $1.46 a year for each resident of Franklin County and $2.25 for each resident of Benton County.

After the meeting, Parent said that the district staff is considering options, but could carry a budget deficit over into 2026.

Pool safety, other fee changes

In all, about 50 rate changes were proposed, including some intended to cut the cost for some services.

The proposed fees would have increased about 15% for permits for inspecting the safety of commercial swimming pools, such as those at hotels and gyms, and public pools, such as city pools. It would be the largest revenue generator to cover inspection costs.

The pool fees have not been raised since at least 2020, with some of them not raised since 2013.

The increases are estimated to cost up to $15,000 a year for all public and commercial pool owners combined.

The district staff investigates injuries and drownings at nonresidential pools and makes sure that safety features are available and in good condition.

Chemicals must be at a level to protect swimmers and there must be a phone to call 911, a first aid kit and an entrance to the pool that is self-closing and self-locking, among other requirements. There must also be signs posted with the rules of the facility and notification that a lifeguard is not on duty.

Proposed fee increases would raise the cost from $100 to $115 for a follow-up inspection to allow a public pool to reopen after it has been closed because of repeated critical violations.

A plan review for a new recreational water facility would increase from $200 to $230. An annual operating permit for a swimming pool open up to six months of the year would increase from $300 to $345.

Another fee change would be for certain immunization records.

There is no cost for immunization records unless they include out-of-state or international records that must be typed in by a clerk to add to Washington state records. Then a new cost of $5 for records with out-of-state immunizations and $10 for out-of-country immunizations would be charged under the proposed new fee schedule.

Some of the proposed changes were intended to reduce costs to people needing services.

For instance, builders would not have to pay the cost of a $1,500 permit for a septic system if they only wanted to have some test holes reviewed before a decision on putting in a system. Then they would only be charged $400.

Mullen questioned why a permit for a septic system would cost as much as a septic tank.

But Janae Parent said even though the on-site sewage permit had recently been increased, that program is operating in the red this year as employee costs have increased.

“We care deeply about the health and safety of our community and because of that we are always thinking about how we can improve, how we can make our services accessible and affordable and helpful to the people and businesses who rely on us,” she said.

This story was originally published November 13, 2025 at 5:00 AM.