Explanation
Background: This legislation will authorize the City Attorney to modify and extend by sixteen additional months the existing contracts previously modified and extended by Ordinance 0781-2018 with collection agents Linebarger, Goggan, Blair & Sampson LLP, Capital Recovery Systems, Inc., and Apelles, LLC and will authorize the payment of court costs, and the reimbursement of any overpayments collected from the Collection Fees fund. This fund is generated by fees collected by collection agents and used to pay the associated collection costs due.
The additional time requested is needed for the continuity of the service due to operational changes in the City Attorney’s office and the Income Tax Division of the City Auditor’s office. The City Attorney will rebid the contracts in the Fall of 2019.
Emergency: Emergency declaration is requested so the collection process can continue without interruption.
Contract Compliance Numbers:
Linebarger, Goggan, Blair & Sampson, LLP, 74-2864602 expires 04/13/2019
Capital Recovery Systems Inc., 31-1570459 expires 04/13/2019
Apelles, LLC, 41-2104380 expires 01/24/2020
These companies are neither debarred according to the Excluded Party Listing System of the Federal Government nor prohibited from being awarded a contract according to the Auditor of State Unresolved Findings for Recovery Certified Search.
Fiscal Impact: These contracts are self-funding and will result in additional revenues to the general fund. The agents are paid fees from the money they collect. One hundred percent of monies collected are remitted to the city and invoices from the collection agencies are paid from the funds collected.
Title
To authorize the appropriation and expenditure of up to $1,255,000.00 from the Collection Fees fund; to authorize the City Attorney to modify and extend the contracts with Linebarger, Goggan, Blair & Sampson LLP, Capital Recovery Systems, Inc., and Apelles, LLC for the collection of delinquent accounts; and to declare an emergency. ($1,255,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, ordinance 0703-2015 authorized the City Attorney to enter into contracts for a three (3) year term, renewable annually, with Linebarger, Goggan, Blair & Sampson LLP, Capital Recovery System, Inc., and Apelles, LLC; for the provision of debt collection services; and
WHEREAS, ordinance 0781-2018 authorized the City Attorney to modify and extend these contracts for an additional six (6) months, through September 30, 2018; and
WHEREAS, this ordinance will authorize the City Attorney to modify and extend these contracts for an additional sixteen (16) months, through January 31, 2020, in order to provide continuity in services while operational changes are being made in the City Attorney’s office and the Income Tax Division of the City Auditor’s office; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City Attorney's Office in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the foregoing contract modifications and extensions and the appropriation and expenditure of funds so the collection process will not be interrupted and for the preservation of public peace, property, health, safety and welfare, now, therefore:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the City Attorney is authorized and directed to enter into a contract modification and extension through January 31, 2020 with Linebarger, Goggan, Blair & Sampson, LLP for debt collection services in the maximum amount of $350,000.00.
SECTION 2. That the City Attorney is authorized and directed to enter into a contract modification and extension through January 31, 2020 with Capital Recovery Systems, Inc. for debt collection services in the maximum amount of $805,000.00.
SECTION 3. That the City Attorney is authorized and directed to enter into a contract modification and extension through January 31, 2020 with Apelles, LLC for debt collection services in the maximum amount of $100,000.00.
SECTION 4. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate up to $1,255,000.00 in the Collection Fees fund, fund 2295 per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance. Auditor’s Office is authorized to make changes to Subfunds as needed to carry out the purpose of this ordinance.
SECTION 5. That the expenditure of up to $1,255,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized from department 24, Collection Fees fund, fund number 2295 per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance. Auditor’s Office is authorized to make changes to Subfunds as needed to carry out the purpose of this ordinance.
SECTION 6. That funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated and expenditures and transfers authorized to carry out the purposes of this ordinance and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 7. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.