FRANKLIN, Tenn. -
The city of Franklin plans to add a collection agency to its resources available to collect on outstanding fines and court costs.
Franklin collects approximately $1 million a year in fines and court costs. The city is owed an additional $677,000 in fees. Of that money, $461,591 predates the 2009 fiscal year.
City officials told Nashville's News 2 some fines date back to the mid 1990s.
"What we will do is build this into our process," city administrator Eric Stuckey said. "We are really lucky that the vast majority of our citizens pay these things in a timely manner."
Franklin already uses a collection agency to recover money from outstanding utility bills.
"We do have some that linger on," Stuckey said. "This is another set in the business process in getting those things closed out "
Stuckey said people who do not pay their fines receive a number of notices from the city. If the person does not pay the case can be sent to general sessions court.
If the city hires a collection agency, the collection agency will start contacting people after the city exhausts its current notification system.
If a person does not pay the outstanding fine, the collection agency could report the fine to one of the three major credit bureaus.
"We are more focused on the more recent ones," Stuckey said. "There are statutes of limitations on how far back we can go on some of these."
Stuckey also told Nashville's News 2 the city will focus on larger outstanding balances and fines.
"You do have some, from time to time, who accumulate a number of parking tickets especially," he said.
When people in downtown Franklin heard about the collection agency, their first response was not positive.
"Just immediately there is a negative connotation, immediately it's embarrassment," visitor Destiny Cox said. "No one wants to have anything sent over to collections."
Franklin resident Carol Robertson said, "It's scary when you hear that," but, Robertson also said the city work to collect on money that's owed.
"It's funds that need to be collected," she said. "If you do something you shouldn't do, you need to pay your fine."
The city is still several months away from hiring a collection agency. The city will put out a call for proposals from collection agencies.
Then, city officials will decide which agency to recommend to Franklin's Board of Aldermen.
The Franklin Board of Alderman will have the final decision on whether or not to hire an agency.
