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Bad checks in Caledonia has become financial burden for city
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By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
“The problem has tripled in the past six weeks. I’m sure it’s a sign of the times. We used to get two or three a week. Now, we’re trying to track down 12 to 20 each week. It’s really starting to cost the city a lot of money to deal with.”
That’s the way Caledonia Police Chief Randy Shefelbine summed up the ever-growing problem of bad checks being written on local businesses. During the Oct. 13 city council meeting, Shefelbine broached the issue, told council members how rapidly the problem has grown, and questioned if the city should possibly look at other avenues for dealing with the problem.
During an interview later in the week Shefelbine explained that even though most of the bad checks are for $20 or less, it can cost the city an average of between $50 and $100 to handle each complaint, and see it through the legal process.
First, the local police department must send out a notarized bad check notice. If the person being contacted by the police department does not respond within five days, a “failure to answer” citation is prepared and issued. At this point, the city attorney gets involved and the case goes to court.
Many of the complaints are dismissed before the actual court date, but because the wheels of justice have started to turn, a dismissal fee, which is usually between $50 and $100 is issued.
“We try to be as fair as we can with these cases,” Shefelbine explained. “We try to work with the people. If need be, we’ve even set up payment plans.”
Shefelbine said they have many repeat offenders. Recently, they had one person write out 12 bad checks in Caledonia in one week.
“It’s really taking up a lot of our time, and it is costing the city quite a bit of money. We’re trying to determine what would be the best way around this. Some cities have hired private collection agencies to go after these people. I don’t know if that is the solution or not. The automatic check cashing services that many of the chain stores are using, solves the bad check problem. But the little stores can’t afford that service.
“It’s becoming a very big problem for us, and a financial burden to the city,” Shefelebine added.
You can contact Charlie Warner at
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