Three proposals for debt collection services for garbage fees and fines due to justice court are under review by Warren County supervisors.

Offers came from Pennsylvania-based Penn Credit Corporation, Ohio-based Joseph Mann & Creed and Natchez-based Receivable Solutions Specialists Inc., County Administrator John Smith said.

The board chose to seek help in collecting the fees in light of mounting costs in garbage collection compliance and tracking down delinquent fines.

More than $58,000 has been moved from the general fund to the pool of money set aside to collect the $1.25 surcharges added to residential and commercial garbage bills to cover shortfalls derived from nonpayments. Most often cited by officials as the cause of the imbalance are residents who move without notifying the county or their chosen garbage service.

Last fiscal year, payments to the providers to cover gaps left by customers who moved without notifying anyone or businesses no longer in existence outpaced collections by a ratio of more than 2-to-1, prompting the board to find a new collection agency.

Outstanding fines built up over the past several years in justice court have totaled $3 million, officials have estimated. Other methods besides hiring outside services exist, including contracting with constables to collect fines and be paid 25 percent of the amounts received, but have not been met with enough support on the board to pass.

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Contact Danny Barrett Jr. at dbarrett@vicksburgpost.com.