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HomeMy WebLinkAboutContract 32465 CITY SECRETARY,., CONTRACT NO. ,�y 6 S § Agreement For The Collection Of Taxes COUNTY OF TARRANT § Agreement made this 2- t day of Jy N , 2005, by and between the Tarrant County Tax Assessor/Collector, hereinafter referred to as ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR, and Tarrant County, hereinafter referred to as the COUNTY,both of whom are addressed at 100 E. Weatherford Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76196-0301, and the City of Fort Worth Public Improvement Districts, hereinafter referred to as Districts, whose address is 1000 Throckmorton St 3rd Fl, Fort Worth,TX 76102. PURPOSE OF AGREEMENT The purpose of this Agreement is to state the terms and conditions under which the ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR will provide assessment and collection services of Ad Valorem taxes levied by the Districts. 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 collect the taxes due and owing on taxable property upon which the Districts has imposed said taxes. The ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR shall perform the said services in the same maturer and fashion as Tarrant County collects its own taxes due and owing on taxable property situated within its boundaries. The services performed are as follows: receiving information from the Tarrant Appraisal District for purposes of the Certified Appraisal Roll, and monthly changes thereto;providing mortgage companies,property owners and tax representatives,tax roll and payment data;providing all necessary assessments of taxes and Truth in Taxation calculations as required; the transmittal of tax statements via the U.S. Mail or electronic transfer of data; and rapid deposit payment processing. All Districts disbursements, made by check or by electronic transfer(wire), for collected tax accounts will be made to the Districts 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 Districts equals at least one hundred dollars($100.00),or at the close of the month. II. REPORTS The ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR will provide the Districts the following reports,if requested: Daily: General Ledger Distribution Report Weekly: Detail Collection Report(Summary) Monthly: Tax Roll Summary(Totals Only) Year-to-Date Summary Report Detail Collection Report(Summary) Distribution Report(Summary) Delinquent Tax Attorney Tape Annual: Paid Tax Roll Delinquent Tax Roll Current Tax Roll A selection of the above listed Reports will only be available by internet access. The ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR will provide the Districts the General Ledger Revenue & Expense Report monthly as required by Sec. 3 1.10 of the Texas Property Tax Code. III. COMPENSATION In consideration of the services to be performed by the ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR,compensation for the services rendered is a rate of fifty cents($.50)per account. The number of accounts will be based on the October billing roll certified to the ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR by The Tarrant Appraisal District. New accounts added by The Tarrant Appraisal District will be billed to the entity. The ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR will invoice for all these accounts serviced on a quarterly basis. IV. AUDITS The ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR will provide to the Districts auditor necessary explanations of all reports and access to ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR in-house tax system computer terminals to assist the Districts auditor in verifying audit samples of the financial data previously provided by the ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR during the past audit period. If the Districts elects to have its auditors conduct a "computer system assurance review audit" requiring assistance from ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR system's programmers and accountants,the fee is$660.00 per day,which will be deducted from the Districts's current collections at the end of the month. V. TAX RATE REQUIREMENT The Districts will provide the ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR, in writing, the Districts's newly adopted tax rate and exemption schedule to be applied for assessing purposes by Friday, September 9, 2005, but no later than 2:00 p.m., Friday, September 16, 2005. 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 tax rate or the exemption schedule will be charged to and must be paid by the Districts. If the Districts wishes its collection reports to be itemized as to maintenance and operation fund and interest and sinking fund,then the notice advising of the new tax rate must set out the separate rates,as well as the total rate. The tax rate and the exemption schedule for each of the last five (5)years in which an ad valorem tax was levied, or all prior years where there remains delinquent tax, 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 Districts of that fact and the reasons therefore. VII. DEPOSIT OF FUNDS All funds collected by the ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR in the performance of the services stated herein for the Districts shall be promptly transferred to the account of the Districts at the Districts's depository bank Electronically transferred funds may incur an additional fee,which will be charged back to the Districts and deducted from those collected funds.The transfer fees charged will be the same fees charged to the County by its bank depository. If the Districts desires its tax disbursements to be made by electronic transfer of funds(wire) the ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR has no liability for the funds after initiation of the electronic transfer of the Districts's funds from the COUNTY Depository to the Districts's designated depository. VIII. INVESTMENT OF FUNDS The Districts hereby agrees that the COUNTY, acting through the COUNTY Auditor, may invest collected ad valorem tax funds of the Districts 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 Districts all interest or other earnings attributable to taxes owed to the Districts. The ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR agrees to deliver to the COUNTY Auditor all ad valorem taxes collected on behalf of the Districts for investment on a timely basis. 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 Districts. 7. .1 DL REFUNDS Refunds will be made by the ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR except as set forth herein. The ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR will advise the Districts of changes in the tax roll which were mandated by the Tarrant 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 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 Districts's jurisdiction. The proportional share is based upon the Districts'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 taxes provided for in this agreement to which City of Fort Worth Public Improvement Districts is a party, is settled or a final judgment rendered, and which final judgment is not appealed, and the terms of such settlement agreement or final judgment require that a refund be issued by City of Fort Worth Public Improvement Districts to the taxpayer, such refund shall be made by ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR by debiting funds collected by ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR on behalf of City of Fort Worth Public Improvement Districts 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 and 33.48 of the Property Tax Code,when allowed. The ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR will collect attorney fees that are specified by the Districts through written agreement with a delinquent collection Attorney. The ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR will disburse the amount directly to the Districts for compensation to a Firm under contract to the Districts. If the delinquent collection Attorney contracted by the Districts 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 Districts and will be added to the collection expenses and charged to the Districts. 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. TERM OF AGREEMENT This Agreement shall become effective as of the date hereinabove set out, and shall continue in effect during the 2005 tax year, unless sooner terminated by providing sixty(60)day written notice,as outlined in paragraph XII. XII. 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. XIII. MISCELLANEOUS 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 conceming 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. Ex ted on day an ear first ove written,Tarrant County,Texas. Y: E YP E DATE TAX AS ES COLLECTOR T COUNTY FOR THE CITY OF FORT WOM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS: BY.• 2 f. o DATE �0%% "-City Attorney TIITL /�ANACt?'Z Approved as to Form and Legality FOR TARRANT COUNTY: Q •} /�lJ BY.- O J f�-%Cu-f " TOM VANDERGRIFF DA TARRANTCOUNTY. 0 E City Secretary APPROVED O ORM*AND ONTENT ��, ����' (t /1 _, (�( ,�• BY: c Contract Authorization D TRICT A TORNEY' OFFICE DA L ! _ Date C� *By law, the District Attorney's 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 perspective of our client. our approval of this document was offered solely for the benefit of our client. Other parties should not rely on this approval, and should seek review and approval by their own respective attorney(s) .