Title
Adopt a resolution to amend the County of Monterey Fee Resolution to:
a. Increase Health Department, Public Health Bureau and Clinic Services Bureau service fees; and
b. Establish a new cost neutral electric vehicle charging fee for the County of Monterey’s system of electric vehicle charging stations.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors adopt a resolution to amend the County of Monterey Fee Resolution to:
a. Increase Health Department, Public Health Bureau and Clinic Services Bureau service fees; and
b. Establish a new cost neutral electric vehicle charging fee for the County of Monterey’s system of electric vehicle charging stations.
SUMMARY:
The report recommends that the Board of Supervisors amend the County Fee Resolution to increase Public Health and Clinic Services fees and establish new cost-neutral electric vehicle charging rates.
The proposed Public Health adjustments update laboratory and Sexual Assault Response Team fees to reflect actual service costs. The Clinic Services maintains current medical fees and revises dental fees and its Sliding Fee Discount Program to align with prevailing rates and Health Resources and Services Administration requirements.
The report also proposes an initial electric vehicle charging rate of $0.4311/kilowatt hour (kWh) for Level 2 and $0.7524/kWh for Level 3 chargers. This rate was determined through a cost analysis projection performed by consulting group ARC Alternatives who factored in the cost of electricity, equipment maintenance, and replacement to determine the recommended cost per kWh.
These actions support strategic goals related to well-being, sustainable infrastructure, financial sustainability, and organizational effectiveness.
DISCUSSION:
The following sections summarize recommended increases to County Health Department fees and the establishment of the County’s electric vehicle charging system fees. These changes ensure compliance with applicable regulations, align fees with actual service costs, support long-term operational sustainability, and maintain consistency across County programs and infrastructure.
Health - Public Health / Environmental Health
The Health Department proposes adjustments to the Public Health Laboratory, Environmental Laboratory, and Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) fee categories within Article I.B of the County Fee Resolution. The Public Health and Consolidated Chemistry Laboratories, certified under state and federal standards, conduct testing of environmental and food samples for disease-causing organisms and toxic chemicals. The recommended updates reflect changes in available tests, removal of obsolete services, and revisions to existing fees based on established cost-setting methodologies, including adjustments to shipping and handling charges.
SART provides coordinated forensic medical exams, evidence collection, and advocacy for sexual assault survivors and victims of domestic violence involving strangulation. The program’s multidisciplinary team enhances continuity of care across partner agencies. Supporting documents detail the basis for fee adjustments, which reflect actual service costs and meet the criteria for cost-based charges exempt from voter approval under Article XIII C of the California Constitution (Proposition 26). The proposed Resolution and updated fee schedules, provided in both comparison and clean formats, are included with this report and filed with the Clerk of the Board.
Health - Clinics
Clinic Services operates twelve federally qualified health centers and conducts annual reviews of its fee schedules to meet Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) requirements. For FY 2026-27, medical fees remain unchanged, as current rates continue to align with service costs and prevailing charges. Dental fees have been revised based on a detailed analysis of CDT codes and 2026 NDAS prevailing fees for the region. To maintain affordability and compliance, Clinic Services also proposes updating its Sliding Fee Discount Program to add a dental component that applies percentage-based discounts for eligible patients. All fee adjustments reflect the reasonable costs of providing services and qualify as cost-based fees exempt from voter approval. This work supports Goal 4 of the Health Department’s 2025-2028 Strategic Plan, focused on organizational effectiveness and long-term sustainability.
CAO - Sustainability
The County is preparing to activate new Level 2 and Level 3 electric vehicle charging stations at multiple sites as part of ongoing solar and facility upgrade projects. To streamline operations and reduce administrative complexity, staff recommend standardizing equipment and software on the ChargePoint platform, including enabling compatibility for existing FreeWire fast chargers.
Following Board direction to maintain cost-neutral charging rates, staff collaborated with ARC Alternatives to analyze energy, maintenance, software, and replacement costs. Based on this analysis, initial rates of $0.4311/kWh for Level 2 charging and $0.7524/kWh for Level 3 charging are recommended, with a planned review after one year of operational data. Broader EV adoption is expected to improve revenue neutrality while advancing County climate action goals and reducing long-term fleet fuel expenses. Staff further recommend applying these rates consistently across all payment-enabled chargers and staff will be limiting access to older chargers that cannot support payment processing until they can be upgraded or replaced, in order to avoid providing free electricity. The effectuate the new electric vehicle charging rates Article XXI will be amended to include a new subsection of the Monterey County Fee Resolution identified as County Administrative Office of Sustainability with initial rates of $0.4311/kWh for Level 2 charging and $0.7524/kWh for Level 3.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT/COMMITTEE ACTIONS:
The Office of County Counsel has reviewed and approved this report as to form, and the proposed amendments to the Monterey County Fee Resolution. Auditor-Controller has reviewed and approved this report as to fiscal provisions related to the Health Department.
FINANCING:
Anticipated revenues resulting from the proposed fee adjustments are included in the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Recommended Budget and are designed to offset the cost of providing the service.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS:
The proposed updates to the County Fee Resolution support several key goals of the Board of Supervisors’ Strategic Plan by ensuring that County services remain cost-effective, accessible, and aligned with actual operational needs. Adjustments to Public Health, Environmental Health, and SART program fees strengthen the County’s ability to protect community health, improve service delivery, and provide coordinated, trauma-informed care for survivors of violence.
Revisions within Clinic Services further advance these goals by maintaining appropriate medical fees, updating dental fees to match regional standards, and enhancing the Sliding Fee Discount Program. These improvements help sustain affordable access to essential health services and maintain compliance with federal HRSA requirements, supporting long-term community well-being.
Updates to electric vehicle charging rates also reinforce the County’s commitment to sustainable infrastructure. By standardizing equipment, adopting cost-neutral rates, and planning for efficient long-term operations, the County is advancing climate action goals while modernizing critical public infrastructure.
Together, these actions promote fiscal responsibility, organizational effectiveness, and a more resilient service delivery system, positioning the County to meet current and future community needs.
Mark a check next to the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Plan Goals:
_X_ Well-Being and Quality of Life
_X_ Sustainable Infrastructure for the Present and Future
_ __ Safe and Resilient Communities
_X_ Diverse and Thriving Economy
_X_ Dynamic Organization and Employer of Choice
Prepared by: Veronica Fernandez, Principal Administrative Analyst, ext. 5278
Approved by: Michael Beaton, Assistant County Administrative Officer
Attachments:
Resolution
Proposed Article I.B Fee Schedule for Fiscal Year 2026-2027- (clean)
Article I.B Fee Schedule for Fiscal Year 2026-2027 - (previous, current, and proposed fees shown for comparison)
Article XXI Fee Schedule County Administrative Office Electric Vehicle Charging
Fee Schedules for Public Health Laboratory
Fee Schedule for Environmental Laboratory
Fee Schedule for SART Services
Clinic Services 2026 Proposed Article I.d. Fee Schedule
Proposed 2026 Dental Fee Schedule Analysis
Sliding Fee Discount Program Chart and Schedule
EV Charging Implementation Memo Final