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County collecting delinquent waste fees

The Dickson County Board of Sanitation has begun the process of collecting delinquent county solid waste fees. That includes seeking a third-party collection agency.

The board received two bids for third-party collections for the waste fee last week, according to county officials. The bids will be reviewed at the board’s Feb. 14 meeting.

The collection agency would be used for the owners of residences or businesses in the county who can’t be found. County Solid Waste Director Jim Lunn said the county did not have the personnel; information, like Social Security numbers; or time to track down the delinquent fees in those hard-to-locate instances. Sanitation board attorney Stan Reynolds said the collection agency would generally be used for accounts where the taxpayer does not own property in the county, does not live in the county, or does not have a job.

“We will not waste legal fees to pursue collections for the small percentage of taxpayers who leave the county owing a delinquent solid waste fee,” said Reynolds in an email.

County residence- or business-owners who are 90 days delinquent first have an opportunity to appear before the sanitation board to explain the late fees. If their appeal is denied and they don’t pay the amount owed, the county attorneys can then file a lawsuit or file a lien on the taxpayer’s property to collect the late fees. Late charges, collection costs and attorney’s fees will all be added to the account.

The two bidders are FOX Collection Center of Goodlettsville and United Adjustment Corporation of Kentland, Ind., said Don Hall, county director of accounts and budgets.

Both agencies propose to collect on a contingency fee of 25 percent.

The board will vote on which agency to accept.

Lunn said about 12 percent of the residences and businesses that received the $10 county solid waste fee are delinquent. The fee, which was approved by the county commission in March and began being delivered with the electric bill in July, has been met with some hostility in the county. Some county residents, in discussions with local lawmakers and with The Herald, pledged not to pay the bill.

A $5 late fee is assessed to residences and businesses when the fee is 15 days past due. Fees that are 90 days over due are turned over to the sanitation board for collection action. A $5 late fee will be assessed for each delinquent payment, plus $5 for each month thereafter that the fee remains unpaid, plus certified postage charges.

Lunn said the first delinquency letters were sent out last month. In total, about 2,500 delinquency letters have been sent out since December, Lunn said. That number does not include the nearly 2,800 delinquency notices that were incorrectly sent out last month.

So far, about six people who received letter have gone before the sanitation board to explain the 90-day delinquency.

Dickson Electric System monthly sends out 21,000 solid waste bills along with electric bills.

To request a hearing, contact Lunn at (615) 446-0019.