HomeMy WebLinkAboutC.054.93009_2241IREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA BRIEFING MINUTES
SEPTEMBER 7. 1999
The Iredell County Board of Commissioners met for an agenda briefing on Tuesday,
September 7, 1999, 5:00 p.m., in the Iredell County Government Center (South Wing Conference
Room), 200 South Center Street, Statesville, N.C.
Present: Chairman Sara K. Haire
Vice Chairman Steve D. Johnson
Tommy E. Bowles
Alice T. Fortner
Alice M. Stewart
Staff Present: County Manager Joel Mashburn, Finance Director Susan Blumenstein,
Planning Supervisor William Allison, Tax Assessor Brent Weisner, Tax Collector Joe Ketchie, DSS
Director Don Wall, and Clerk to the Board Jean Moore.
CALL TO ORDER by Chairman Haire.
REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF AN AGREEMENT WITH VOICE DATA
SOLUTIONS, INC., WHICH WILL ALLOW TAXPAYERS TO MAKE PAYMENTS WITH
CREDIT CARDS: Bill Hines, the Director of Business Applications for Voice Data Solutions,
said that Wake County had made a request for a custom designed software package for credit card
collections. A program was written and Wake County has been pleased with the results. Taxpayers
using the system are charged $3.00 per $100 payment. The taxpayer would be told at the beginning
of the call about the charge, and they would have the option of terminating the transaction. Hines
said the system was automated and could work 24 hours a day or the normal working hours of the
tax office. During the day, the caller can switch to a live agent. After a caller submits his/her credit
card information, the account is verified for approval. At the end of the day, a batch report is sent
to VISA. Then the money is sent to a holding account at BB&T. Next, BB&T transmits the money
back to the county's banking institution. If a fraudulent card is used and accepted, it will be Voice
Data's responsibility to track the perpetrator.
Hines said the only item the county would need to purchase was the telephone line(s).
Commissioner Johnson asked when the county would actually see the payments.
Hines said the morning of the third day after the transactions.
Commissioner Stewart asked how the system would recognize accounts when interest started
accruing. Hines said the system would be hooked into the county tax records and the total amount
owed would be what was recognized.
Stewart asked if the public would be allowed to make partial payments.
Hines said the system could "mirror" anything the host (tax office) had available.
Ketchie said he would prefer not to allow partial payments with Voice Data, but his office
would continue to work with the public on an individual basis.
Commissioner Bowles asked the finance director if she was comfortable with the proposal.
Blumenstein said she and her staff reviewed the county's bank accounts each morning to
insure that everything was in order. She said she did not have any objections.