Board May Use Collection Agency for Unpaid Bills

Published on:
12 September 2006 at 10:21 a.m. ET

Written by: Unknown Author –

http://www.insidearm.com/news/00012777-board-may-use-collection-agency-for-unpai/

The Plainfield Township Board of Michigan is exploring the option of using collection agencies to recoup unpaid bills for emergency services in accidents or fires.

Back in 2003, the board approved a measure allowing the Plainfield Fire Department to charge nonresidents $200 for services. Charging, though, doesn’t necessarily pay out, so to speak.

Hence: debt collectors.

Last year, the township had to write off 32 percent of the bills for such responses as unpaid.

Clerk Susan Morrow said she could accept paying a collection agency a part of the recovered funds from unpaid invoices.

“Ten percent of $5,000 is a small fee to pay to get $4,500,” she said.