Getting a break

John Condon admits it freely: He supported Kootenai County when it created fees for commercial use of public waterways facilities a few years back.

After all, he said, his company had enough customers to cover the fees, which go toward dock and ramp maintenance.

But that was then.

"Those were different days," said Condon, owner of North Idaho Maritime, a barge and dock-construction company. "When business was good."

Now business has dropped 50 percent, said Condon, who discovered dock maintenance is a privilege most folks let go during a recession.

And the county fees have become a struggle to bear, he said.

"Anything (extra) helps these days, when revenues have been cut in half and your expenses stay the same," Condon said.

He and others who earn their trade on local lake waters can rest a little easier.

The county commissioners voted this week to give these companies a break, by approving a 50 percent across-the-board reduction in commercial use permit fees for waterways facilities.

Under the new fee schedule, set to last two years, the cost of annual commercial permits range from $25 to $250.

That includes permits for vessel repair, fueling, commercial transportation, marine contractors and water sports activities on county facilities like docks and ramps.

A seasonal concession permit is $450, and advertising permits have a minimum fee of $10.

The commissioners supported giving a boost to local business owners, said Commissioner Dan Green.

"Business is slow. We can give them a little injection," Green said.

The reduction comes as a response to pleas from maritime businesses, said Nick Snyder, Parks and Waterways director.

Snyder said several boat dealers, marine contractors and other companies have approached Snyder about business being sluggish, making it a hardship to cover the fees for what commercial activities they still have, he said.

"I spoke to one of the marine business (owners) who explained it's very important for him to stay in business," Snyder said of lowering the fees temporarily.

A reduction won't have a dramatic effect on the Parks and Waterways Department, he added, which will now collect $1,500 from the fees instead of the $3,400 collected last year.

"With a half million dollar budget, it won't have a huge effect," Snyder said.

Tom Frey, owner of Frey Dock and Barge, said savings from the dropped fees could allow him to hire more employees.

"It will be a big difference, in the aspect it's going to bring in more money into our pockets," Frey said. "I'm glad the county is looking at stuff like that. Anytime you can reduce government regulation and costs, it benefits the businesses and the whole community."

Frey's company uses county waterways facilities about 60 times a year, he estimated.

Everything is tight these days, he noted, which is why maritime companies have been stretching to cover the fees.

"It's a combination of people cutting back, businesses really watching their bottom line and controlling any cost as much as possible," he said.

Condon didn't expect the fee change would let him bring on more employees.

But every little bit helps, he said.

"What it does is allows you to hang around a little longer. That's what most people in business are doing today, just trying to hang on," Condon said. "If you can restrict the bleed-out to a minimum, the tendency to stay alive is extended that much longer."