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HomeMy WebLinkAboutContract 39295F 1 § COUNTY OF TARRANT § Agreement For The Collection Of Special Assessments Agreement made this /J day of #RPAct _, 2009, by and between the Tarrant County Tax Assessor/Collector, hereinafter referred to as "ASSESSOR/CO LECTOR," and Tarrant County, hereinafter referred to as the "COUNTY," both of whom are addressed at 100 East Weatherford Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76196-0301, and the City of Fort Worth, hereinafter referred to as "CITY OF FORT WORTH," whose address is 1000 Throckmorton Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76102. PURPOSE OFAGREE�IVIENT The purpose of this Agreement is to state the terms and conditions under which the ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR will provide assessment and collection services of special assessments levied by the CITY OF FORT WORTH, in accordance with Chapter 372 of the Texas Local Government Code (the "Assessments"). NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows: I. SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED The ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR agrees to bill and collect the assessments due and owing on property upon which the CITY OF FORT WORTH has imposed said assessments. The ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR shall perform the said services in the same manner and fashion as Tarrant County collects its own taxes due and owing on taxable property. The services performed are as follows: receiving the Certified Appraisal Roll from the appropriate Appraisal District and monthly changes thereto; providing mortgage companies, property owners and tax representatives assessment roll and payment data; providing all necessary Assessments and Truth in Taxation calculations as required; the transmittal of assessment statements via the U.S. Mail or electronic transfer of data; and payment processing. All CITY OF FORT WORTH disbursements, made by check or by electronic transfer (ACH), for collected tax accounts will be made to the CITY OF FORT WORTH on the day the COUNTY Depository Bank indicates the mandatory assigned "float" period has elapsed and the funds are posted to the collected balance. If any daily collection total is less than one hundred dollars ($100.00), the disbursement may be withheld until the cumulative total of taxes collected for the CITY OF FORT WORTH equals at least one hundred dollars ($100.00), or at the close of the month. II. REPORTS The ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR will provide the CITY OF FORT WORTH the following reports, if requested: Daily: General Ledger Distribution Report Weekly: Detail Collection Report (Summary) Monthly: Assessment Roll Summary (Totals Only) Year -to -Date Summary Report Detail Collection Report (Summary) Distribution Report (Summary) Delinquent Tax Attorney Tape Annual: Paid Assessment Roll Delinquent Assessment Roll Current Assessment Roll A selection of the above listed Reports will only be available by Internet access. The ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR will provide the CITY OF FORT WORTH the General Ledger Revenue &Expense Report monthly as required by Sec. 31.10 of the Texas Property Tax Code. Page i of � `-- 1 POS : 1110 COMPENSATION In consideration of the services to be performed by the ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR, compensation for the services rendered is a rate of sixty five cents ($.65) per account. The number of accounts will be based on the October billing roll certified to the ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR by the Appraisal District. New accounts added by the appropriate Appraisal District will be billed to the entity. The ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR will invoice for all these accounts by January 15, 2010 with payment to be received from the CITY OF FORT WORTH by February 15, 2010. The scope of services identified in this contract does not include the administration of a rollback election. In the event of a successful rollback election, these costs incurred by the Tarrant County Tax Office will be separately identified, billed, and paid by the entity. rV. A UDITS The ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR will provide to the CITY OF FORT WORTH auditor necessary explanations of all reports and access to ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR in-house tax system computer terminals to assist the CITY OF FORT WORTH auditor in verifying audit samples of the financial data previously provided by the ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR during the past audit period. v TAX RATE REQUIREMENT The CITY OF FORT WORTH will provide the ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR, in writing, the CITY OF FORT WORTH's newly adopted assessment rates and exemption schedules to be applied for assessing purposes by Friday, September 12, 2009. Under authority of Section 31.01 (h) of the Property Tax Code, any additional cost of printing and mailing tax statements because of late reporting of the assessment rates or the exemption schedules will be charged to and must be paid by the CITY OF FORT WORTH. The assessment rates and the exemption schedules, if any, for each of the last five (5) years in which an assessment was levied, oA all prior years where there remains delinquent assessments, must be furnished in writing to the ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR at the time of the initial contract. VI. COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATUTES, ORDINANCES, AND REGULATIONS In performing the services required under this Agreement, the ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR shall comply with all applicable federal and state statutes, final Court orders and Comptroller regulations. If such compliance is impossible for reasons beyond its control, the ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR shall immediately notify the CITY OF FORT WORTH of that fact and the reasons therefore. This Agreement is authorized by the Interlocal Cooperation Act, Chapter 791 of the Texas Government Code, VII. DEPOSIT OF FUNDS All funds collected by the ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR in the performance of the services stated herein for the CITY OF FORT WORTH shall be promptly transferred to the account of the CITY OF FORT WORTH at the CITY's depository bank. All payments to entities will be made electronically by the automated clearing house (ACH). The ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR has no liability for the funds after initiation of the ACH transfer of the CITY OF FORT WORTH's funds from the COUNTY Depository to the CITY OF FORT WORTH's designated depository. Page 2 of d VIII. INVESTMENT OF FUNDS The CITY OF FORT WORTH hereby agrees that the COUNTY, acting through the County Auditor, may invest collected assessment funds of the CITY OF FORT WORTH during the period between collection and payment. The COUNTY agrees that it will invest such funds in compliance with the Public Funds Investment Act. The COUNTY further agrees that it will pay to the CITY OF FORT WORTH all interest or other earnings attributable to taxes owed to the CITY OF FORT WORTH. All parties agree that this Agreement will not be construed to lengthen the time period during which the COUNTY or the ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR may hold such funds before payment to the CITY OF FORT WORTH, IX. REFUNDS Refunds will be made by the ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR except as set forth herein. The ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR will advise the CITY OF FORT WORTH of changes in the assessment rolls which were mandated by the appropriate Appraisal District, The ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR will not make refunds on prior year paid accounts unless the prior year paid accounts for the past five (5) years are provided to the ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR. All refunds of overpayments or erroneous payments due, but not requested, and as described in Section 31.11 of the Texas Property Tax Code, will after three (3) years from the date of payment, be proportionately disbursed to those entities contracting with the ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR. The contract must have been in force, actual assessment and collection functions begun and the tax account was at the time of the over or erroneous payment within the CITY OF FORT WORTH Is jurisdiction. The proportional share is based upon the CITY OF FORT WORTH's percent of the tax account's total levy assessed at the time of receipt of the over or erroneous payment. In the event any lawsuit regarding the collection of assessments provided for in this agreement to which the CITY OF FORT WORTH is a party, is settled or a final judgment rendered, and which f►nal judgment is not appealed, and the terms of such settlement agreement or final judgment require that a refund be issued by the CITY OF FORT WORTH to the taxpayer, such refund shall be made by ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR by debiting funds collected by the ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR on behalf of the CITY OF FORT WORTH and remitting such refund to the taxpayer in conformity with the terms of the settlement agreement or final judgment. X. DELINQUENT COLLECTIONS The ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR will assess and collect the collection fee pursuant to Sections, 33.07, 33.08, 33.11 and 33.48 of the Property Tax Code, when allowed. The ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR will collect attorney fees that are specified by the CITY OF FORT WORTH through written agreement with a delinquent collection Attorney. The ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR will disburse the amount directly to the CITY OF FORT WORTH for compensation to a firm under contract to the City. If the delinquent collection Attorney contracted by the CITY OF FORT WORTH requires attendance of ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR personnel at a court other than the District Courts in downtown Fort Worth, and the COUNTY is not a party, the employee's expenses and proportionate salary will be the responsibility of the CITY OF FORT WORTH and will be added to the collection expenses and charged to the CITY OF FORT WORTH, The ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR will not be responsible for the collection of prior year delinquent accounts unless all delinquent accounts information is provided to the ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR. XI. TER�L1 OF AGREEMENT This Agreement shall become effective as of the date hereinabove set out, and shall continue in effect during the 2009 tax year, unless sooner terminated by providing sixty (60) day written notice, as outlined in paragraph XII. Page 3 of 4 XIL NOTICES Any notices to be given hereunder by either party to the other may be effected, in writing, either by personal delivery or by mail, registered or certified, postage prepaid with return receipt requested. Mailed notices shall be addressed to the address of the parties as they appear in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement, but each party may change this address by written notice in accordance with this paragraph. XIIL �1ISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS This instrument hereto contains the entire Agreement between the parties relating to the rights herein granted and obligations herein assumed. Any oral representations or modifications concerning this instrument shall be of no force or effect. This Agreement shall be construed under and in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas, and all obligations of the parties created hereunder are performable in Tarrant County, Texas. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective legal representatives and successors. In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Agreement shall for any reason be held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality, or enforceability shall not affect any other provision hereof and this Agreement shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal, or unenforceable provisions had never been contained. This Agreement and the attachments hereto constitutes the sole and only agreement of the parties hereto and supersedes any prior understandings or written or oral agreements between the parties respecting the within subject matter. Executed on the day and year first above BY.• vle7 B /6 ISP DATE FOR THE CITYOF FORT WORTH: BY.• TOM HIGGINS U � ASSISTANT CITYMANAGER FOR TARRANT COU/,VTY: BY• k,) L**�. Jvy�w B. GLEN WHITLEY TARRANT COUNTY JU APPROVED B Y.• 8/�3 09 DATE DATE ATTORI�EY'S OFFICE DATE *By law, the District Attorneys Office may only advise or approve contracts or legal documents on behalf of its clients. It may not advise or approve a contract or legal document on behalf of other parties. our review of this document was conducted solely from the legal Page 3 of �i OTANI 011114:0 All OFFICIAL REC�RC �:�TY �FCC�ETARIf T. WORTH, TX Z�L