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Commission approves collection and privacy agreements after questions about fees and timing
Summary
Commission approved a collections contract that lowers the county's fee from 35% to 18% and a separate data/privacy agreement; commissioners asked staff to monitor turn‑over timing so the county does not prematurely 'give away' revenue on recent claims. Both motions passed 3-0.
The commission approved two contracts intended to change how the county handles delinquent accounts and protect data privacy.
On item 11, staff outlined a proposed collection agreement that would reduce the county's collection fee from 35% to 18%. Commissioners asked about the timeline for turning accounts over to the collector (30/60/90 days) and about potential revenue loss when accounts are in short-term insurance processing. Commissioner S2 warned against handing over accounts too early: “We don't wanna give away 18% on somebody that's just waiting for an insurance clarification,” and asked that staff review account-aging practices before routine turnover. Commissioners noted they would monitor the agreement's performance and retained oversight. The motion to approve item 11 carried 3-0.
Item 12, described as a separate privacy/security agreement related to the same contractor, was also approved 3-0. Chair said the privacy agreement would help reduce the county's fee from 35% to 18% in the county's overall collection cost structure.
What happens next: Staff will monitor collection outcomes and the timing of account transfers to evaluate whether the lower fee is cost-effective in practice.
