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Council weighs policy to waive small late-payment tax interest
Summary
The Waterboro Town Council discussed adopting a policy allowing the tax collector to waive very small interest charges on delinquent property-tax payments — a measure framed as an administrative convenience to avoid mailing and lien costs; council members debated threshold amounts and annual review.
The Waterboro Town Council on June 2 discussed formalizing a policy to allow the tax collector to waive small interest amounts on late property-tax payments, with council members arguing the change would reduce administrative costs and avoid sending lien notices for trivial balances.
A council member (speaker 6) proposed a standing policy to let the tax collector waive interest on accounts with very small balances and said the intent was to avoid sending postcards or escalating to lien demand for trivial amounts. “I recommend that if it's under $5 that we waive it,” the council member said, adding that amounts between $5 and $10 could be handled differently and that demands and lien letters carry fees that make pursuing tiny debts inefficient.
Council discussion focused on setting a clear threshold and placing the rule in council policy so it would not require annual warrant language. Dwayne Anderson (speaker 4) moved to adopt the forwarded policy allowing the tax collector to waive interest on small balances; the motion was seconded and the council opened the motion for discussion. Members noted the policy could be reviewed and changed at a later date if needed.
Council staff had previously told the board they plan to present any transfers or budget adjustments at the June 16 regular meeting; the tax assessor (Shirley) was tentatively scheduled to attend the June 16 meeting to discuss the tax commitment and mill-rate process.
The transcript records the motion being moved and seconded and the council calling for a voice vote; the meeting transcript does not include a roll-call tally in the record. Chair and staff later listed the “property tax interest waiver” among items needing signature for posting.
The council left the matter available for adoption as a standing policy and scheduled related procedural and budget items to appear on the June 16 agenda.
