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James Hardin, Assistant District Administrator for Alabama’s East Central District, addressed the Chambers County Commission on Monday, June 16, during a work session regarding planned changes in fees.

Fees for services, including health inspections and septic system permits, are supposed to be reviewed or increased every five years, but Chambers County has not updated its fees since 1992. 

Hardin explained that the lapse occurred due to unknown reasons and reassured commission members that businesses will not be penalized for the oversight. Instead, fee adjustments will be implemented incrementally to reach the current rate.

Restaurant permit fees, previously based on self-reported revenue, will transition to a tiered system with four distinct categories that reflect the complexity of food preparation. Similarly, septic system permit fees will be streamlined into two categories: Residential and Commercial. The mandated $50 fee for septic permits, which particularly impacts Chambers County due to its unique soil characteristics, will remain unchanged by state law.

Outdated tire disposal and installer certification fees will be eliminated. The Alabama State Health Officer has formally approved these updates, and the local health department is presenting them to affected parties, including the Commission and city councils, to ensure transparency.

All fees collected support the County Health Department’s operations, including preventive medicine, family planning, and vaccinations. To maintain affordability, the department has submitted a $2,500 budget request to the County Commission to assist with uncompensated care, which impacts approximately 40% of its clients. This care covers the cost of tests and procedures provided at reduced or no cost to patients.

Hardin’s address to the commission aims to repair the strained working relationship between the health department and the Chambers County Commission, thereby opening lines of communication between the two entities.

“We (ADPH) have not worked closely enough with you guys (Chambers County Commission) as we should have, and hopefully I will make sure that changes,” Hardin added. 

Hardin spoke briefly about “Operation Wipeout,” an Alabama Public Health initiative, seeking to address the problem of cervical cancer in Alabama. Currently, Alabama is third in the nation for deaths and incidents related to this preventable cancer.

One of the main strategies utilized by the plan is promoting Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations.  HPV vaccinations protect children before they are exposed to the virus, lowering the risk of developing cervical cancer. For women 21 to 65, cervical cancer screenings are recommended to increase early detection and enable doctors to begin treatments sooner.

The department has also identified Chambers County as having the highest rate of cervical cancer in Alabama, with a reported 17 incidents of cervical cancer throughout the county. A status that has been in place since 2023 and awaits updated reporting.

Since its inception in 2023, Operation Wipeout has continued to operate. There is currently no reporting on the project’s status or progress.