(A) The failure of any person to timely pay a fine assessed by administrative citation constitutes a debt owed to the city. To enforce that debt, the City Administrator may cause to be filed a claim with the small claims court or other appropriate court.
(B) Assessment lien. The City Administrator may also impose an assessment lien as set forth below or pursue any other legal remedy to collect such money.
(C) Notice. The City Administrator may impose a special assessment against the property that is the subject of an administrative citation, if the citation has been issued to the property owner for the amount of the fine, plus late fees, plus any administrative charge established by the City Administrator to cover the costs of imposing the assessment. The assessment shall be imposed in accordance with the following procedures:
(1) The City Council shall confirm the amount of the assessment at a regularly scheduled meeting or at a special meeting;
(2) The property owner and any holder of mortgage or deed of trust of record shall be notified of the meeting to confirm the assessment in accordance with noticing provisions of § 1-9.09;
(3) After confirmation by the City Council, the City Administrator shall cause to be recorded a notice of lien in the office of the County Recorder. When so made and confirmed, the costs shall constitute a lien on that property for the amount of the assessment;
(4) After confirmation and recordation, a copy may be turned over to the County Tax Collector. At that point, it will be the duty of the Tax Collector to add the amounts of the respective assessments to the next regular tax bills levied against the lots and parcels of land for collection of county property taxes. Those amounts shall be collected, and shall be subject to the same penalties and procedures under foreclosure and sale in cases of delinquency as provided for with ordinary county taxes. Or, after recording, the lien may be foreclosed by judicial or other sale in the manner and means provided by law. The notice of lien shall be in a form as approved by the City Administrator.
(D) Cost recovery. If the failure of any person to may a fine assessed by administrative citation results in the filing of an action with the small claims court, or any other court to collect the fine, the city shall be entitled to collect all costs, including reasonable attorney's fees; associated with the filing of such an action.
(Ord. 744 C.S., passed 1-15-03)