Outside firm to collect late fees
Supervisors approve proven recovery agent
Looking to put a dent in some $9 million in pastdue criminal fines and fees reported by Circuit Court Clerk Dale Thompson, the DeSoto Board of Supervisors greenlighted a collection agency — Pioneer — to collect money for the county and keep state-authorized delinquent fees for itself.
In a wide-ranging meeting Monday, the five-member governing board also authorized advertising for bids for $3,225,300 in asphalt overlay work for 38 sections of roads, and to let the Siemens technology firm feel some heat over the continued cold that has generated discomfort and complaints in the County Courthouse.
“There’s no phonecalling or bloodhounds; we use technology to track people down,” said Clovis Reed, the Brandon, Miss.-based regional account manager for the Pioneer collection firm. “We don’t harass constituents, and that’s what makes us popular with our clients.” A one-year pact was approved.
Pioneer, a unit of student-loan fixture Sallie Mae, is the leading recovery agency for the U. S. Department of Education and also counts the Internal Revenue Service as a client. The firm’s recovery rate is about 40 percent, while the industry average is 19 to 20 percent, said Reed.
The county needs the new help, said Thompson. “We’ve decided to try this because it’s almost impossible to collect criminal fines,” said the court clerk. “Our office has done everything it can.”
When someone falls three payments behind, they’re placed on the delinquency roll, but that doesn’t guarantee payment, said Thompson. And while people in arrears while on probation can be arrested on a bench war-
rant and jailed again, it’s almost certain addresses will change between arrest and release.
She said that since the 1990s, at least $3,684,924 in past- due fines alone have piled up. Toss in court-ordered restitution, court costs, state assessments and clerk fees, and the total owed soars another $5 million-plus.
Supervisors were alarmed at the amounts, but pleased that Pioneer draws its pay from delinquency fees tacked on by the state; there’s no deduction from money that’s due the county.
“It’s a win-win for us,” said Supervisor Lee Caldwell of Nesbit. Supervisor Mark Gardner of Southaven said he wants to consider using the firm to collect for Justice Court and Emergency Medical Services.
On infrastructure matters, the supervisors approved asphalt overlays to roads as OK’d previously in a four-year plan presented by county road manager Andy Swims.
“We plan to open bids in April and will bring that information to the board for approval,” said Swims. Nine six-figure projects range from $338,224 (Centerhill Road from Goodman to State Line Road) to $111,842 (Sunset Road from Malone Road to Laughter Road). Smaller projects include $8,853 for Firefly Cove (from Forest Hill Drive North to the end) and $7,182 for High Road Cove (Benvorlich’s Head to the end).
A complete list of projects is available at the Road Department; call 662-429-1466 for more information.
Chancery Clerk W. E. “Sluggo” Davis had only chilly comments for the Siemens firm, which last year completed a $ 6.2 million county energyefficiency revamp that’s expected to pay for itself with utility bill savings. Projects included a new $3.5 million heating-cooling system for the County Administration Building and the 1940s courthouse, long plagued with comfort issues.
“It was 60 this morning. People had to keep their coats on — and that’s just not right,” said Davis.
County facilities manager Tony Martin said it was a “programming issue” in that to save energy, heat is cut to 55 degrees or so in the closed courthouse on the weekends “and it takes all day Monday to get caught up.” The supervisors agreed to summon Siemens representatives to the board’s March 18 meeting for a solution.
In other action, the board lauded Charles McNemar, who departed the DeSoto Planning Commission in January after 16 years of service, and welcomed his successor, Tom Bradley of Southaven, a semiretired health care administrator.
The supervisors also approved expenditures of $5,865,369 on the monthly claims docket. Comptroller Tom Arnold said the total was much larger than usual due to three large “pass-through” items: two levies producing a total of $3.9 million for Northwest Mississippi Community College, and the 2 percent tourism tax that brought $572,078 for the county Convention and Visitors Bureau.