Any decision about a proposed fee increase for food vendors at the Kent Farmers Market and other King County markets has been postponed until at least January.
The King County Board of Health initially had been scheduled to consider the rate hike at its Dec. 18 meeting. Now the fee changes are expected to be discussed at the board’s Jan. 15 meeting at 1:30 p.m. at the King County Council Chambers in Seattle.
“Look for the agenda in January, where there is scheduled to be a proposal on all fees, including farmers markets, before the Board of Health,” said Hilary Karasz, of Public Health – Seattle & King County, in an email. “It’s my understanding that new strategies to keep the farmers market fees low will be discussed in January.”
Food vendors at the Kent Farmers Market and Kent Cornucopia Days could see big jumps in food inspection fees next April under the initial Public Health – Seattle & King County proposal.
Public Health officials would raise fees at more than 40 farmers markets in the county for a temporary food permit to $400 from $281 per event in an effort to recover more of the costs to run the food inspection program. That’s a jump in fees of 42 percent.
The fees are for food vendors, not farmers who sell produce. The county doesn’t require permits for most of the produce vendors.
Because of the initial uproar at the proposed increases first revealed in September, the King County Council directed Public Health staff to submit a proposal with lower fees to the Board of Health.
The 11-member board is composed of three health professionals and eight elected officials, including three members each from the King County Council and Seattle City Council. The county issued 42 farmers markets permits in 2013.
For more information, go to kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/ehs/fees/proposal.aspx.
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