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Council rejects treasurer's proposal for pop-up tax payment station after security and staffing concerns
Summary
Treasurer proposed short-term pop-up tax payment stations during peak seasons to streamline payments; council members raised concerns about cash handling, staffing, deposits and internal controls and defeated the proposal on a roll-call vote.
Dearborn Heights — A proposal by the treasurer to implement temporary pop-up tax payment stations in City Hall during peak tax seasons was discussed at length and ultimately defeated by roll call on Feb. 24 after council members raised security, staffing and internal-control concerns.
The treasurer said the plan would improve customer service by allowing credit-card and check payments at a station in the hallway during peak times and would not accept cash. "Checks are scanned the next morning," the treasurer said, describing current and proposed posting practices to avoid holding payments. The treasurer also said the department had added new staff and was working with consultants on policy and procedures.
Council members questioned whether the council needed to approve the operational change, and several urged a review with the police chief and risk-management staff before proceeding. Council members also flagged delays in past deposit timing and called for an audit or departmental review before adding new procedures.
On roll call (votes recorded in the minutes), the motion to implement the pop-up processing center as presented failed; the council directed staff to continue coordinating with the mayor, police and comptroller and to return with a plan if security and posting concerns were resolved.
