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Craig council adopts ordinance expanding options to collect unpaid municipal court fines
Summary
Council approved second reading and adoption of Ordinance 1165205 to codify the city's authority to use broader collection methods for unpaid municipal court fines and costs; staff said roughly $70,000 in older receivables and about $20,000 annually are difficult to collect under current practices.
On March 25 the Craig City Council adopted Ordinance 1165205 (second reading) to amend section 2.12.320 of the Craig Municipal Code and expand the city's ability to collect unpaid municipal court fines and costs.
City Attorney Headler Cannon told council that there were no changes from the first reading and that the city is carrying approximately $70,000 in outstanding court receivables accumulated over multiple years. He and staff said the city struggles to collect roughly $20,000 per year under current arrangements.
Heather, staff advancing the ordinance at council, said the change will allow the city to contract with collection providers that can pursue unpaid fines and fees more effectively than prior vendors. She noted that recent state changes affecting driver's‑license renewal procedures have reduced one previous mechanism for prompt collection on some traffic‑related fines.
Councilmember Looper moved approval of the second reading; Councilmember Jackson seconded. The ordinance passed on a council vote that followed the standard motion/second process.
Why it matters: The ordinance implements a formalized collection route for long‑outstanding municipal fines and aims to improve recovery of court‑ordered fees. Staff characterized the changes as a step to modernize collection options while continuing to follow statutory limits and court procedures.
Next steps: Staff will implement the new collection approach described in the ordinance and report back as necessary on outcomes.
