Panhandle Health District will consider two fee increases this week, on account of rising costs.

The PHD board will hold a public hearing at its meeting on Thursday about raising the permit fee for septic repair from $200 to $300, and the land development application fee from $180 to $260.

The increases are necessary so PHD can continue providing services under its On Site Sewage Disposal Program and its Land Development Program, said Dale Peck, environmental director.

"The fees cannot be greater than our costs, and in both programs, fees do no cover all costs associated with the program," he said.

Expenses have climbed since the last fee increase in 2004, he added.

"Certainly over that period of time, both labor as well as consumables have increased," Peck said. "You only have to look at gas pump prices for an example that costs have gone up."

Only about 25 percent of the Sewage Disposal Program is covered by county and state dollars, Peck said. The rest is covered by fees.

The Land Development Program cost $140,000 last year, he added, about $45,000 of which was funded by fees.

"That's one of the reasons we're proposing the increase. You can see the predominant amount was not paid by fees," he said.

The hearing is scheduled during the meeting at 1 p.m. on Thursday at the PHD office at 8500 N. Atlas Road, Hayden.

The board will decide whether to approve the increases after the hearing, Peck said.

"We don't make these changes lightly," he said. "We want to make sure people have information about the fees."

Rod Underhill, president of North Idaho Building Contractors Association, said the group has no objections to the increases.

"It's just to keep the service at the same level," Underhill said. "Their fees have to pay their inspectors."

Underhill hasn't heard anyone say they would have difficulty affording the increases, he said.

If approved, the new fees would be implemented on July 1.

Peck encouraged anyone with questions to call PHD at 415-5103.