Brenda Wood, the city treasurer, explained the purpose of the ordinance, stating, “The state provides the authority for a city treasurer to do this. The ordinance is for imposing a collection fee on delinquent taxes to cover administrative costs, attorney, or collection agency fees.” The ordinance sets forth a collection agency fee of up to 20% of the taxes owed and establishes a timeline for addressing delinquent status if appeals are filed in a timely manner.
During the council session, Ward 2 Councilor Gerlach expressed his support, citing his extensive experience defending individuals in debt over the past 40 years. “This is not uncommon for municipalities,” Gerlach remarked.