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Ordinance No. 6,781930923 -8 ORDINANCE NO. 6781 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE MAYOR TO • EXECUTE AND THE CITY CLERK TO ATTEST TO A CONTRACT FOR THE COLLECTION OF DELINQUENT TAXES WITH SEWELL & RIGGS, A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION; AND PROVIDING FOR THE EFFECTIVE DATE THEREOF. • BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN, TEXAS: Section 1: That the City Council of the City of Baytown, Texas, hereby authorizes and directs the Mayor and City Clerk of the City of Baytown to execute and attest to a Contract for the Collection of Delinquent Taxes with Sewell & Riggs, A Professional Corporation. A copy of said contract is attached hereto, marked Exhibit "A," and made a part hereof for all intents and purposes. Section 2: from and after Baytown. INTRODUCED, City Council of September, 1993. ATTEST: This ordinance shall take effect immediately its passage by the City Council of the City of READ and PASSED by the affirmative vote of the the City of Baytown, this the 23rd day of PETE C. AL FARO, Mayor LYNDA K, GORE, Deputy ty Clerk rl JXWACIO RAMIREZ, SRU City Attorney kg v=waro- 2�93mdK wa • k4S_' •' • •k • •' • ,•�k sTAT.1'. Cr TEXAS S S COUNTY OF HARRIS S THIS CONTRACT is made and entered into by and between the CITY OF BAYTOWN, a municipal corporation located in Harris and Chambers Counties, Texas, hereinafter called "City ", and the law firm of SEWELL & RIGGS, A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION, 333 Clay Avenue, Suite 800, Houston, Texas 77002, hereinafter called "Law Firm ". I. City agrees to employ and does hereby employ Law Firm to collect by lawsuit or otherwise all delinquent ad valorem taxes, penalty and interest owing to City and all other taxing jurisdic- tions whose taxes are collected by City. Delinquent taxes shall become subject to the terms of this contract when placed in litigation or thirty -one (31) days after the tax collector delivers notice of delinquency and of the additional penalty to the property owner, whichever date is sooner. However, the taxes becoming delinquent in 1994 and subsequent years shall become subject to the terms of this contract when placed in litigation or on the first day of July of the year in which the taxes become delinquent, whichever date is sooner. II. Law Firm will endeavor to call to the attention of the collector or other offli_,;ials ary e:rcor�, &,.olhIp assessments or other discrepancies in the City's tax rolls which it observes • during the progress of the work and will intervene on behalf of EXHIBIT A • City in all suits for ad valorem taxes hereafter filed by any taxing unit on property located within City's corporate limits. III. n City agrees to authorize by ordinance, in a manner which complies with Texas Tax Code Section 33.07(a), an additional penalty to defray costs of collection in an amount equal to 15% of the amount of taxes, penalty and interest due for taxes that remain delinquent on July 1 of the year in which they become delinquent. Law Firm agrees to prepare and mail the notice of delinquency and of the additional penalty to the property owners pursuant to Texas Tax Code § 33.07(d). City agrees to cooperate and cause collector to cooperate with Law Firm in the preparation and delivery of such notices, including but not limited to providing complete and accurate delinquent tax rolls and related files to Law Firm on or before April 30 of each year during the term of this Contract. IV. City agrees to pay to Law Firm as compensation for the services required hereunder the fees from Section 33.07 or Section 33.48 of the Texas Tax Code actually recovered by City from the collection efforts of Law Firm as and when collected during the term of this Contract and for one year after its expiration if the collection of taxes is attributable to judgments obtained by Law Firm. Law Firm agrees that neither the additional penalty allowed by Section 33.07 nor the attorney fees allowed by Section 33.48 attach to »aynent agreements in existen :e and it nno� st. .:,dung, as of the date of this Contract. All compensation above provided iq • for shall become the property of Law Firm at the time payment of the taxes, penalty and interest is made to the collector. The collector shall pay all fundz c -n7ipctP.. on bahalf of Law Firm monthly, with payment by the 15th day of the month following collection by City. Interest on late payments shall be payable as provided in Tex. Rev. Civ Stat. art. 601f. V. Law Firm may request that City adopt an ordinance which would impose the additional penalty for tax collection provided by Texas Tax Code § 33.07 applicable to all prior years. In return for City's approval of said ordinance at Law Firm's request, Law Firm agrees to defend at no cost to City any litigation challenging the legality of said ordinance and further agrees to indemnify and hold harmless City from any litigation challenging the application of the additional penalty provided by Texas Tax Code § 33.07 to prior years. VI. Law Firm shall not sell, assign, or transfer any of its rights or obligations under this contract in whole or in part without written consent of City, nor shall Law Firm assign any monies due or to become due to it hereunder without the previous consent of City. VII. This contract is drawn to cover a period of two years ?i =;ginning Septe-hrm_r 1, 3993. Thereafter, this contract will continue on a month -to -month basis until such time as City notifies 3 rivia.rg of -thirty (30) days written notice therinf +te the other party. Law Firm shall have six months following termination of the contract to reduce to judgment all suits filed prior thereto, but Law Firm shall be entitled to the compensation described in Paragraph IV hereof attributable to such judgments for twelve (12) months after termination of the Contract if such judgments shall be reduced to payment to the City. After the expiration of the six month period, Law Firm agrees to return any and all files, whether in lawsuit, judgment, or otherwise. In consideration of the terms and compensation herein stated, Law Firm hereby accepts said employment and undertakes the performance of the contract. This contract is executed on behalf of City by its Mayor, who has been authorized to execute this instrument. SIGNED in duplicate originals this the day of , 1993, at Harris County, Texas. H: \USERS \LHUBBARD \RBS \BAYTOYN.C2 Printed September 21, 1993 L 4 CITY OF BAYTOWN, TEXAS By: %( (7 �' � Pete C. Alfaro, Mayor SEWELL & RIGGS A Professional Co ,F poration By: Randall B. St Law Firm that it does not wish to continue the contract. During any period, this contract may be terminated by either party by the rivia.rg of -thirty (30) days written notice therinf +te the other party. Law Firm shall have six months following termination of the contract to reduce to judgment all suits filed prior thereto, but Law Firm shall be entitled to the compensation described in Paragraph IV hereof attributable to such judgments for twelve (12) months after termination of the Contract if such judgments shall be reduced to payment to the City. After the expiration of the six month period, Law Firm agrees to return any and all files, whether in lawsuit, judgment, or otherwise. In consideration of the terms and compensation herein stated, Law Firm hereby accepts said employment and undertakes the performance of the contract. This contract is executed on behalf of City by its Mayor, who has been authorized to execute this instrument. SIGNED in duplicate originals this the day of , 1993, at Harris County, Texas. H: \USERS \LHUBBARD \RBS \BAYTOYN.C2 Printed September 21, 1993 L 4 CITY OF BAYTOWN, TEXAS By: %( (7 �' � Pete C. Alfaro, Mayor SEWELL & RIGGS A Professional Co ,F poration By: Randall B. St CONTRACT FOR THE COLLECTION OF DELINQUENT TAXES STATE OF TEXAS § § COUNTY OF HARRIS § THIS CONTRACT is made and entered into by and between the CITY OF BAYTOWN, a municipal corporation located in Harris and Chambers Counties, Texas, hereinafter called "City", and the law firm of SEWELL & RIGGS, A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION, 333 Clay Avenue, Suite 800, Houston, Texas 77002, hereinafter called "Law Firm". I. City agrees to employ and does hereby employ Law Firm to collect by lawsuit or otherwise all delinquent ad valorem taxes, penalty and interest owing to City and all other taxing jurisdic- tions whose taxes are collected by City. Delinquent taxes shall become subject to the terms of this contract when placed in litigation or thirty-one (31) days after the tax collector delivers notice of delinquency and of the additional penalty to the property owner, whichever date is sooner. However, the taxes becoming delinquent in 1994 and subsequent years shall become subject to the terms of this contract when placed in litigation or on the first day of July of the year in which the taxes become delinquent, whichever date is sooner. II. Law Firm will endeavor to call to the attention of the collector or other officials any errors, double assessments or other discrepancies in the City's tax rolls which it observes during the progress of the work and will intervene on behalf of City in all suits for ad valorem taxes hereafter filed by any taxing unit on property located within City's corporate limits. III. City agrees to authorize by ordinance, in a manner which complies with Texas Tax Code Section 33.07 (a) , an additional penalty to defray costs of collection in an amount equal to 15% of the amount of taxes, penalty and interest due for taxes that remain delinquent on July 1 of the year in which they become delinquent. Law Firm agrees to prepare and mail the notice of delinquency and of the additional penalty to the property owners pursuant to Texas Tax Code § 33.07 (d) . City agrees to cooperate and cause collector to cooperate with Law Firm in the preparation and delivery of such notices, including but not limited to providing complete and accurate delinquent tax rolls and related files to Law Firm on or before April 30 of each year during the term of this Contract. IV. City agrees to pay to Law Firm as compensation for the services required hereunder the fees from Section 33 . 07 or Section 33.48 of the Texas Tax Code actually recovered by City from the collection efforts of Law Firm as and when collected during the term of this Contract and for one year after its expiration if the collection of taxes is attributable to judgments obtained by Law Firm. Law Firm agrees that neither the additional penalty allowed by Section 33.07 nor the attorney fees allowed by Section 33.48 will attach to payment agreements in existence and in good standing as of the date of this Contract. All compensation above provided 2 for shall become the property of Law Firm at the time payment of the taxes, penalty and interest is made to the collector. The collector shall pay all funds collected on behalf of Law Firm monthly, with payment by the 15th day of the month following collection by City. Interest on late payments shall be payable as provided in Tex. Rev. Civ Stat. art. 601f. V. Law Firm may request that City adopt an ordinance which would impose the additional penalty for tax collection provided by Texas Tax Code § 33.07 applicable to all prior years. In return for City's approval of said ordinance at Law Firm's request, Law Firm agrees to defend at no cost to City any litigation challenging the legality of said ordinance and further agrees to indemnify and hold harmless City from any litigation challenging the application of the additional penalty provided by Texas Tax Code § 33.07 to prior years. VI. Law Firm shall not sell, assign, or transfer any of its rights or obligations under this contract in whole or in part without written consent of City, nor shall Law Firm assign any monies due or to become due to it hereunder without the previous consent of City. VII. This contract is drawn to cover a period of two years beginning September 1, 1993. Thereafter, this contract will continue on a month-to-month basis until such time as City notifies 3 Law Firm that it does not wish to continue the contract. During any period, this contract may be terminated by either party by the giving of thirty (30) days written notice thereof to the other party. Law Firm shall have six months following termination of the contract to reduce to judgment all suits filed prior thereto, but Law Firm shall be entitled to the compensation described in Paragraph IV hereof attributable to such judgments for twelve (12) months after termination of the Contract if such judgments shall be reduced to payment to the City. After the expiration of the six month period, Law Firm agrees to return any and all files, whether in lawsuit, judgment, or otherwise. In consideration of the terms and compensation herein stated, Law Firm hereby accepts said employment and undertakes the performance of the contract. This contract is executed on behalf of City by its Mayor, who has been authorized to execute this instrument. SIGNED in duplicate originals this the 94 day of 1993, at Harris County, Texas. CITY OFF BAYTOWN, TEXAS By: /-e a Pete C. Al faro, Mayor SEWELL & RIGGS A Professional Co oration By: Randall 13. St H:\USERS\LHUBBARD\RBS\BAYTOWN.C2 Printed September 21, 1993 4