Clerk's office to add deed-scam protection insert to tax envelopes; commissioners approve new collections vendor

County officials approved two Clerk's Office initiatives during the meeting: a public-awareness insert about deed-protection services and the use of a new collections vendor for long-outstanding fees.

Staff described a program administered by Tom Kroukenberg that notifies property owners when someone attempts to access or copy a deed record — an increasingly common scam in other jurisdictions. The clerk's office will print a single colored insert (described in the meeting as a yellow informational sheet with QR codes) and include one insert per mailing envelope for tax statements; the office said the marginal printing cost is minimal.

Shelley presented a separate recommendation to contract with Paycorp, a collections vendor that will pursue long-outstanding infraction and criminal fees that county offices have not collected. Commissioners discussed contract terms; staff said the initial term in the proposed agreement is five years but that the contract may be terminated by either party with 30 days' written notice and an additional wind-down period of approximately 120 days to allow the vendor to finish active collections. Commissioners asked to limit long automatic renewal terms and confirmed there is a 30-day termination clause without cause. The board approved proceeding with Paycorp and replacing prior arrangements with Eagle Collect over a 30-day notice period.

Ending: Clerk's office staff said they will proceed with printing the deed-protection inserts for the upcoming tax-statement mailing and implement the Paycorp agreement following legal review and the execution of contract documents.