County

Boater Fees Voted: Boaters will start paying next year for Harbor Patrol services--such as towing and jump-starting--that now are free, the Board of Supervisors decided Tuesday. The board also voted to try to save money by using officers of lower rank than sheriff’s deputies to staff the patrol, which now has 50 deputized positions. According to a cunty administrative office report, using lower-ranked officers could save $678,714 a year and charging for tows, jump-starts and pumping boats could bring in $118,550. The fees would not be imposed before next August, according to Joan Steiner of the county administrative office. In all, the county spends about $2 million more on Harbor Patrol operations than it collects in revenue from rents and fees at the harbors.