[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of North Whitehall as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 9-12-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-6[1]; amended in its entirety 2-3-2025 by Ord. No. 2025-1]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also superseded former Ch. 284, Art. I, Schedule of Fees for Collection of Delinquent Accounts, adopted 2-11-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-2, as amended.
The attorney fees, collection costs, and interest set forth below are hereby adopted, approved, and determined to be reasonable as contemplated by 53 P.S. § 7106(a)(1). The attorney fees, collection costs, and interest set forth below shall be included in the municipal lien for the unpaid municipal claim with which they are associated.
A. 
Attorney fees.
(1) 
For issuance of the thirty-day certified mail notice letter, the sum of $100.
(2) 
For preparation and filing of the municipal lien, the sum of $250.
(3) 
For the preparation and filing of the praecipe and writ of scire facias, the sum of $500.
(4) 
For any additional work required on a contested lien, an hourly rate of $250.
(5) 
For a sheriff's sale proceeding, the sum of $500 minimum for work and document preparation on each lien plus an hourly rate of $250 for any additional work required.
(6) 
For any additional work required, the sum of $250 per hour.
(7) 
For payment plans, the sum of $50.
(8) 
The above-listed attorney fees are cumulative.
B. 
Collection costs. In addition to the attorney fees set forth in Subsection A(1), above, the amount of out-of-pocket charges, costs, expenses, commissions, and fees incurred by the Township or its appointed collector of unpaid municipal claims in connection with the filing, preservation, and collection of an unpaid municipal claim including, but not limited to, prothonotary fees and charges, sheriff fees and charges, postage expenses, title search expenses, vehicle identification number (VIN) search expenses, skip tracing and/or other investigatory service expenses, and the costs, fees, charges, and/or expenses arising out of any payment by any credit card, debit card, or any other payment medium are hereby approved and shall be included, upon incurrence, together with the municipal lien for the unpaid municipal claim with which such charges, costs, expenses, commissions, and fees are associated.
C. 
Interest. Simple interest at the rate of 10% per annum, as calculated on a pro rata monthly basis, shall be applied to the amount of the unpaid municipal claim (with such amount determined at the time of filing the municipal lien for same). Said interest shall inure to the benefit of and be recoverable by the Township.
The Board of Supervisors may from time to time, by resolution, appoint a person or firm to collect unpaid municipal claims on behalf of the Township in accordance with the fee schedule contained in § 284-1. Such person or firm shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Supervisors. In any event, the Township's Municipal Solicitor shall be responsible for the collection of unpaid municipal claims for streetlight assessments.
Should any section, paragraph, clause or phrase of this article be declared unconstitutional or invalid by legislation or a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this article shall not be affected thereby, and shall remain in full force and effect.
All ordinances, resolutions, and/or other official acts or parts thereof adopted or taken prior to the effective date of this article and inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed to the extent of such inconsistency or inconsistencies.