By Kim Hilsenbeck
If you have a delinquent municipal court fine from the city of Kyle, be prepared to hear from the city’s new collection agency.
The Kyle City Council has voted unanimously to hire the law firm Linebarger Googan Blair and Sampson of Austin to collect outstanding court fees. According to Perwez Moheet, finance director, uncollected fees equate to $2.8 million that could be in the city’s bank account.
Under the contract, the fee recovery firm works on a contingency basis; it only gets paid if it collects the unpaid fines. By law, the firm can charge up to 30 percent on top of the original fine to cover the cost of its services. That means an additional $89 for a $297 fine.
A breakdown of the 10,942 fines owed shows almost three-quarters are moving/traffic violations, another nearly one-quarter are for failure to appear in court. There are a few odds and ends for code enforcement, public intoxication, and citizen complaints.
In addition to higher fees, Moheet urged people to pay past due fines before a warrant is issued for an arrest. The city is considering a warrant amnesty time period; those who have delinquent fines can pay them without fear of being arrested. After that period expires, the roundup begins; law enforcement agencies then send officers out to make an arrest.
Moheet said older cases – more than four or five years – are harder to collect; people move, disconnect phones, or live with family or friends to avoid having their name on public records.
Collection agencies use techniques such as skip tracing, customized mailings, and call campaigns to reach those with delinquent fines. Skip tracing techniques include checking Social Security numbers, traffic tickets, marriage and voting records, credit card searches and neighborhood inquiries.
Outstanding utility bill fines account for another $1.5 million. That is much needed cash for a utility fund that — according to City Manager Lanny Lambert — continues to lose money.
Kyle offers payment plans for up to six months for past-due fines, as long as the person who owes the money has not already defaulted on an agreement with the city.
Voluntary payment is Kyle’s preferred method of collection, Moheet says.
“If you have an outstanding fine, come talk to us. It will be cheaper for you in the end,” Moheet said.
The municipal court, at 100 W. Center St., can be contacted at 877-262-KYLE or [email protected].
