Riley County treasurer reports May balances; online payments credited with improving delinquent-tax collections

Shiloh Hager, Riley County treasurer, presented the county’s May revenue and fund balances at the June 16 commission meeting, reporting several key figures and administrative actions.

Hager said the general fund ended May with a balance of $17,750,003.34 and that the county’s ARPA account held about $4,652,950. She reported net interest credited to the general fund through May of $847,004.35 and said the county’s checking account was earning about 4.42% interest.

Revenue for the general fund for the reporting period was $10,059,004.41 before transfers; Hager said $64,567 was transferred into the general fund from the motor-vehicle operating fund, a statutorily required transfer completed by May 31. Year-to-date collections through May were described as slightly below budget for some categories but roughly on track overall.

Hager told commissioners the treasurer’s office mailed delinquent-property notices on June 6 and planned to send sheriff’s warrants for unpaid personal property later that week. She said the office is seeing a “huge uptick” in people using the county’s new online credit-card payment system to pay delinquent taxes; the system calculates interest daily, which has encouraged taxpayers to pay the currently owed amounts online rather than submitting checks and waiting for follow-up notices.

She also summarized sales-tax and road-and-bridge distributions, describing month-to-month timing differences and noting the office expects later distributions to make up some timing shortfalls.

Ending: Hager said the treasurer’s office will continue to monitor incoming revenues and collections and provide updates to the commission; she offered to provide written copies of the report to commissioners on request.