County owed more than $465,000 in unpaid personal property taxes



Beth Rumsey, Staff Writer

The commissioners considered a request to employ American Financial Credit Services to collect unpaid personal property taxes at the regular meeting on Friday, September 4.
According to Amy Copeland, employee in the Ripley County Treasurer’s Office, there is currently more than $465,000 in unpaid personal property taxes, with some accounts several years old and without current contact information.

Copeland explained that services from American Financial Credit will be of no cost to the county and that the county will collect the full amount of taxes due. Rather, the company will incur an additional fee paid by the individual when the tax is paid.

American Financial Credit Services has collected over $30 million for several counties in Indiana, according to Copeland. The commissioners unanimously approved the contract with American Financial Credit Services for property tax collection.

In other business, Area Planning Director Tad Brinson was unanimously approved as liaison for the 2010 Census. Also, the motion to have the county highway department to go back to five days a week beginning September 21 was unanimously approved.

All commissioners were in attendance along with county auditor Mary Ann McCoy and county attorney Neil Comer to advise. The next meeting will be held on Monday, September 21 beginning at 7 a.m. at the Ripley County Highway Garage in Osgood and reconvening at the courthouse annex in Versailles at 8 a.m.