§ 25. PAYMENT OF FEES AND OTHER CHARGES

A.

DEFINITIONS

As used in this section, the following words shall have the definitions ascribed to them by this section:

1.

Cash shall mean legal tender issued by the United States of America.

2.

Personal Check shall mean a check provided by the issuer and drawn on a bank in a form acceptable to the City Manager of the City of Santa Fe, Texas, provided said check is not otherwise defective on its face and provided the issuer of said check has not tendered checks for payment to the City of Santa Fe in the past which were returned for insufficient funds.

3.

Money Order shall mean a payment order for a pre-specified amount of money made payable to the City of Santa Fe, Texas.

4.

Cashier's Check shall mean a check guaranteed by a bank made payable to the City of Santa Fe, Texas.

5.

Credit Card shall mean a card, plate, or similar device issued by a banking institution and used to make purchases on credit or to borrow money, or a similar card used to directly debit a bank account, provided said card is issued by an issuer acceptable to the City Manager of the City of Santa Fe, Texas.

B.

METHOD OF PAYMENT

The City Manager shall be and is hereby authorized to accept cash, personal checks, money orders, cashier's checks, or where the City has appropriate equipment for the receipt of same, credit cards as a means of payment of fees, fines, court costs, or other charges due and payable to the City. The City Manager is authorized to determine which methods of payment are appropriate for each department of the City. The City shall not be obligated to accept payment by credit card where the amount due and payable to the City is less than fifteen dollars ($15.00), and acceptance of payment by credit card is hereby authorized by personal presentment of the credit card, telephonic, or other electronic means.

C.

PROCESSING FEE

The City Manager shall be and is hereby authorized and directed to assess a processing fee of five percent (5%) of the amount of a fee, fine, court cost, or other charge being paid by the use of a credit card, as an amount reasonably necessary and related to the expense incurred by the City to accept said payment by credit card.

D.

SERVICE CHARGE

If for any reason a payment by credit card to the City is not honored by the credit card company on which the funds are drawn, the City Manager shall be and is hereby authorized to collect a service charge from the person who owes the fee, fine, court cost, or other charge to the City. The service charge is in addition to the original fee, fine, court cost, or other charge and is for the collection of that original amount. The amount of the service charge shall be the same amount as the fee charged by the depository bank for the collection of a check drawn on an account with insufficient funds.

E.

ENCUMBRANCE OF CREDIT CARD; FEE

The City Manager is hereby authorized to enter into agreements with companies which issue credit cards to collect and seize credit cards issued by the company that are outdated or otherwise unauthorized, and the City Manager is further authorized to charge the company a fee for the return of said credit cards.

F.

DISPOSITION OF ADDITIONAL FEES AND CHARGES

The City Manager shall ensure that amounts collected by the City pursuant to this section for convenience fees, service charges, or other fees incidental to the use of credit cards are deposited into the general fund of the official depository of the City.

G.

AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO AGREEMENTS

The City Manager of the City of Santa Fe, Texas, shall be and is hereby authorized to enter into all necessary agreements with credit card issuers, equipment vendors, or other entities necessary and incident to implementation of this ordinance, including but not limited to form of payment agreements, customer processing agreements, equipment agreements (purchasing or rental agreements), or other similar agreements.

(Ordinance No. 05-2011 of February 24, 2011, Sec. 2)