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Council terminates decades-old Linebarger contract, approves new contingent-fee provider
Summary
After moving to terminate its Linebarger collections agreement (in place since 2003), the council approved findings to seek a contingent-fee collector and later voted to contract with Purdue, Brand, Fielder, Collins and Mott LLP for collections work; staff and the firm described skip-tracing and text outreach as part of their process.
The council voted to end its collection agreement with Linebarger, a relationship the city said had been in place since 2003. The termination motion passed by roll call (vote reported 6–4).
Staff then said state procurement rules require the city to document a contingent-fee need and the council approved a finding under the government's cited code section to permit a new contractor to be engaged. The council then considered a contingent-fee contract with Purdue, Brand, Fielder, Collins and Mott LLP and approved that contract after discussion.
A firm representative described their collection process, including address research, skip-tracing, mailed letters, phone calls and text-message outreach as tools to prompt defendants to contact courts and pay. “Once it gets turned over to us, then we start our process of collection,” the representative said, noting local office presence improves responsiveness.
Council members questioned collectability of very old accounts and whether some debts should be written off; staff said older claims have lower odds of collection and offered to return with any available percentages. The council recorded the contract approval and directed staff to begin the procurement/turnover steps specified in the contingent-fee agreement.
