LAGRANGE, Ga. — Troup County officials have made some recent changes to save manpower and money.
This tax season the county has contracted with an outside collection company called Government Tax Solutions to recoup delinquent property taxes, which officials estimate will save time for current staffers and money for citizens.
Officials were briefed on the new system, as well as two changes to the county’s jail operations, during the Troup County Commissioners meeting Friday.
County officials said GTS has its own liability policy to cover any discrepancies or errors that could occur during collection, will be able to give more notification to delinquent tax payers, and will collect taxes faster.
“Our goal is to get the taxes in because that keeps the lights on in the building,” County Manager Mike Dobbs said, noting those taxes make up large portion of the county’s budget.
Dobbs said there is no cost to the county for using GTS. Instead an additional fee will be applied to delinquent property taxes, which is how the company makes its money. Government Tax Solutions is used by 70 Georgia localities, including neighboring Meriwether, Heard and Harris counties.
County officials said the advantage to this contract is that staff from the tax commissioners office will be free to concentrate on other duties. The burden of collecting overdue taxes will now be placed on those who haven’t paid instead of the rest of the community.
Dobbs also noted for the first time a uniformed police officer will post the physical delinquent notices, which he said is safer for tax commissioner staffers.
Two programs in the sheriff’s department are also expected to save time and money at the county jail.
In July, the Troup County Sheriff’s Department started using JPay. The Texas-based system eliminates money orders. JPay allows anyone transferring money to an inmate to log on and do so via the company’s Web site or through a kiosk located in sheriff’s building.
JPay takes care of all the paper work and record keeping associated with the transfers. Troup County Sheriff Donny Turner said the system saves time.
For example, JPay has cut the work of the jail’s inmate account manager in half. Officials said he is now free to help with court papers processed by the jail division.
“It doesn’t sound like a big deal,” Turner said, but with the jail currently housing 380 inmates, that can mean a lot of money orders, receipts and inmate accounts to keep up with.
Now, that responsibility is not assumed by jail staff.
JPay, which is free to the county, makes money by charging a deposit fee on each transaction. It is also used at the Muscogee County Jail.
Anyone trying to find information on an inmate will also utilize a new cost-saving method. The sheriff’s department has implemented an automated phone system to dispense inmate information, such as bond amount or visiting hours.
Officials said the sheriff’s department literally handles thousands of calls from inmates and their loved ones who need information.
“The phone constantly rings about those situations,” Turner said.
The new automated system, which is updated every 15 minutes to maintain accuracy, started in September. It also includes information on an inmate charges, directions to the facility where they are being held and how to send money.
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