(a) Each officer employed by the city who, as part of that employment, collects fees, fines, court costs, or other charges from members of the public that are due to the city is authorized to accept credit cards as payments for such fees fines, court costs, and other charges.
(b) For each fee, fine, court cost, or other charge that is paid by credit card, the officer collecting same shall also collect a processing fee in an amount equal to three percent (3%) of the amount of the fee, fine, court cost, or other charge, as authorized by section 132.003(b), Texas Local Government Code.
(c) If for any reason a payment by credit card is not honored by the credit card company on which the funds are drawn, the officer shall collect from the member of the public who attempted to pay by credit card an additional service charge in an amount equal to the fee then being charged for the collection of a check drawn on an account with insufficient funds, as authorized by section 132.004, Texas Local Government Code. This service charge is in addition to the original fee, fine, court cost, or other charge.
(d) The city manager shall be authorized on behalf of the city to contract with a company that issues credit cards to collect and seize credits cards issued by the company that are outdated or otherwise unauthorized. Such contract may provide that the city will charge the company a fee for the return of such credit cards, as authorized by section 132.005, Texas Local Government Code.
(e) Processing fees and service charges collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited into the general fund, as provided by section 132.006, Texas Local Government Code.
(Ordinance 317DG adopted 2/10/14)