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HEARING - Recorder-Clerk’s Office recommending the Board conduct a public hearing to Introduce and Adopt Ordinance 5272 amending Sections 3.25 of the El Dorado County Ordinance Code to update the Recorder-Clerk’s Schedule of Fees, with fee changes to become effective January 1, 2027.
FUNDING: N/A
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
California Government Code Chapter 12.5 County Fees, Section 54985, authorizes the Board of Supervisors to "recover the cost of providing any product or service . . " (Attachment A). Chapter 3.25 of Title 3 of the El Dorado County Ordinance Code describes the services and products which the Recorder-Clerk provides on a fee basis.
On November 5, 2019, the Board approved Ordinance 5108 amending Title 3 Revenue and Finance, Chapters 3.25 to update the schedule of fees and fee changes. Since the adoption of the current Fee Schedule, the Recorder-Clerk's Office has seen an increase in the cost for services.
On September 22, 2026, the Board granted conceptual approval for the Recorder-Clerk’s Office to update the fees recovering the costs of providing services. Staff reviewed the cost of providing services based on the Fiscal Years 2024-25 budget (Attachment B - Recorder-Clerk Fee Study). The study reflected a decrease in Recorder-Clerk’s Office fully-burdened hourly rate from $119 to $111 due to various efficiencies implemented in the Recorder-Clerk's office, changes in software, and a reduction of staff in Fiscal Year 2024-25. The cost of providing services is determined by multiplying the time required for the service by the hourly rate. Those fees that are not mandated by statute are adjusted to recover more of the County costs to provide the services. While the Recorder-Clerk’s Office fully-burdened rate has declined, many fees are increasing to reflect 100% cost recovery, when the past Fee Study sought to obtain between 49% to 84% cost recovery.
Attachment C provides a red-line version of the updated fee schedule. Attachm...
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