Caledonia may soon be using a collection agency to collect outstanding fines.
During Tuesday night’s board meeting, the mayor and alderman heard from Mississippi Warrant Network and American Municipal Services.
Both services collect debts on behalf of cities and towns but operate in slightly different ways.
Established in 1999, Mississippi Warrant Network collects debt from any debtor except those who are in jail, deceased or decide to work off their fine through a work program. It charges a 25-percent fee for fines collected in-state. Melinda Wells presented the proposal to the alderman on behalf of the Warrant Network and told them that if a debtor lives out of state, the city can charge a fee of 50-percent, with the Warrant Network then collecting their cut at 30 percent.
Wells stated thanks to the Warrant Network, Chickasaw County collected $250,000 in delinquent fines last year.
Deborah Siviera attended Tuesday night’s meeting on behalf of the American Municipal Services. Siviera described her collection agency as a “free service” to the town.
She said American Municipal Services operates strictly on letters and phone calls. However, they do not call debtors on Sundays, with Siviera adding the company strives to be complaint-free.
American Municipal Services charges a flat fee of 25-percent.
Columbus, West Point and Starkville use American Municipal Services.
The board voted to appoint Marshal Ben Kilgore as the officer in charge of vetting the two companies. The board will vote on which service to use at their next meeting.
In other news:
The Caledonia town marshals will soon be adding a new camera to their patrol cars. The board approved Kilgore’s request to apply for a 75/25 grant to install a dash mounted camera inside Kilgore’s 2010 model car. The camera cost $3,740 plus a $200 dollar installation fee. The out-of-pocket cost to the town is $985.
The board also voted to buy four new pistols for the marshals. All five marshals currently carry various sidearms with no gun like the other.
Kilgore told the board he would like to purchase .45 Rugers for each of his marshals. Kilgore stated Marshal Lance Luckey currently carries a .45 Ruger and asked the board permission to purchase four pistols to match Luckey’s.
The board also approved Kilgore’s request to send marshal John Pevey to a gang education school in Biloxi. Pevey, a retired law enforcement officer with the city of Columbus, has an extensive history in gang education.
Water employee Trey Robertson filed another grievance against his boss Benny Coleman.
Alderman Brenda Willis made the motion to table the issue until board attorney Jeff Smith could further examine the issue. Willis asked Smith to look into how many times an employee could file the same grievance.
Robertson stated the grievance was not about the same matter as the grievance he filed earlier this year, a grievance that was dismissed by the board last month.
Sarah Fowler covered crime, education and community related events for The Dispatch.
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