CROWN POINT — Lake County residents who pay their property taxes with a bum check or use a wire transfer to pay for property purchased at a county tax sale soon will pay higher fees to the county treasurer for those transactions.
The Lake County Council is expected to approve a new fee schedule Tuesday that more accurately reflects the bank fees paid by the county for processing checks from accounts with non-sufficient funds (NSF) and for receiving wire transfers.
Treasurer John Petalas told the council at its monthly study session Thursday that Lake County's $25 NSF check fee has remained unchanged since 1994 when the council initially authorized the fee.
He explained the county's main bank has maintained a $25 NSF fee for the county over the past 29 years. But beginning Jan. 1, Petalas said the bank is insisting Lake County pay the same $35 NSF fee as all of its other customers.
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"So what we're proposing is to delete (the $25) section and just add a paragraph that says our fee will be consistent with whatever the bank charges, so that way we don't have to keep doing this over and over," Petalas said.
Similarly, Petalas said Lake County currently charges a $15 fee for wire transfers. He said updating that language to enable the treasurer's office to charge whatever the bank charges it for a wire transfer will ensure the fee always covers the county's costs.
Councilman David Hamm, D-Hammond, endorsed the revised fees as a reasonable update to the county's ordinances, and the majority of the county's seven-member financial governing authority appeared to support the changes.
"We're not making money but this makes it so we don't lose money. Especially if someone is writing a bad check," Hamm said.
PHOTOS: Comic-Con 2023 at Lake County Fairgrounds
NWI Comic-Con inspires cosplay fun
Jamie Hodson, Grace Hodsen and Reagan Rex, all of Crown Point, enjoy cosplay fun Saturday at NWI Comic-Con at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point.
NWI Comic-Con inspires cosplay fun
Rob Kranc of Dyer shows his Dr. Strange pose. People often stopped to pose with him Saturday at NWI Comic-Con at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point.
NWI Comic-Con inspires cosplay fun
Ena Remley of Highland poses as Power with Jay Macek of Crown Point dressed as Chainsaw Man on Saturday during NWI Comic-Con at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point.
NWI Comic-Con inspires cosplay fun
Ryan Francis of Joliet sells original artwork Saturday at NWI Comic-Con at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point.
NWI Comic-Con inspires cosplay fun
Sabrina James of Griffith dresses as Belle from Vocaloid while Abby Kime of Griffith dresses as Hamburglar of McDonald's fame on Saturday during NWI Comic-Con at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point.
NWI Comic-Con inspires cosplay fun
A wide variety of fandom memorabilia was offered for sale Saturday at NWI Comic-Con in Crown Point.
NWI Comic-Con inspires cosplay fun
Brothers Matthew and Tyler Kaufman of Crown Point join their friends Zachary Bodamer of Crown Point and Cole Oreski of Winfield on Saturday at NWI Comic-Con at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point. They are dressed as a pirate, Captain America during World War II, Paelias from Dungeons & Dragons, and Mr. Night from "Moon Knight."
NWI Comic-Con inspires cosplay fun
Gaby Hasier of Merrillville dressed as YouTuber Wilbur Soot while Eileen Shea of Crown Point dressed as Technoblade on Saturday for NWI Comic-Con at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point. The characters are from Dream SMP, a Minecraft server.
NWI Comic-Con inspires cosplay fun
Art Baltzaar of Chicago sells books Saturday at NWI Comic-Con in Crown Point.
NWI Comic-Con inspires cosplay fun
Samuel Barnhart of Lowell poses as a character from a story he's writing for NWI Comic-Con at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point.
NWI Comic-Con inspires cosplay fun
Gaby Hasier of Merrillville dressed as YouTuber Wilbur Soot while Eileen Shea of Crown Point dressed as Technoblade for NWI Comic-Con at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point. The characters are from Dream SMP, a Minecraft server.
NWI Comic-Con inspires cosplay fun
A crowd of fans await costume judging Saturday at NWI Comic-Con at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point.
NWI Comic-Con inspires cosplay fun
Jen Jacob of Valparaiso shows some of the "poor unfortunate souls" captured by Ursula, the villain in "The Little Mermaid" on Saturday during NWI Comic-Con at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point.
NWI Comic-Con inspires cosplay fun
Reagan Rex of Crown Point dressed as an emo pirate to add her own style to the "Pirates of the Caribbean" fandom. Cosplay was part of the attraction Saturday at NWI Comic-Con at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point.
NWI Comic-Con inspires cosplay fun
Micah Finfrock of Cedar Lake shows off a Fun Time Freddy costume from the "Five Nights at Freddy's" video game Saturday at NWI Comic-Con at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point.
NWI Comic-Con inspires cosplay fun
A wide variety of fandom memorabilia was offered for sale Saturday at NWI Comic-Con in Crown Point.
NWI Comic-Con inspires cosplay fun
Justine Dillenbeck talks about her original artwork Saturday at NWI Comic-Con at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point.
NWI Comic-Con inspires cosplay fun
Ken Barrow of Chicago dressed as Princess Peach of Mario Brothers video game fame Saturday for NWI Comic-Con at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point.
NWI Comic-Con inspires cosplay fun
Abbi and Ace Rago of Lombard, Ill., put a lot of hours into making their costumes to cosplay Zelda and Link from the" Legend of Zelda" on Saturday at NWI Comic-Con at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point.
NWI Comic-Con inspires cosplay fun
Chris Moore and NickLanders of Granger pose in their fox and dragon costumes Saturday at NWI Comic-Con at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point.
NWI Comic-Con inspires cosplay fun
Jennifer Toth of Cedar Lake poses as Moth Man. "I'm a very shy person by nature, but when I'm in costume, I can be whoever I want to be," she said Saturday at NWI Comic-Con at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point.
NWI Comic-Con inspires cosplay fun
Lilly Chloe of Hebron dressed as Micromash from "Bloodborne" while Sage Campbell of Hebron dressed as Leon Kennedy from "Resident Evil 2" on Saturday for NWI Comic-Con at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point.
NWI Comic-Con inspires cosplay fun
Jackson Latiak and sister Kennedy Latiak of Griffith enjoyed NWI Comic-Con on Saturday at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point. Jackson dressed as Fumikage Tokoyami from the "My Hero Academia" anime.
NWI Comic-Con inspires cosplay fun
Lilly Chloe of Hebron dressed as Micromash from "Bloodborne" while Sage Campbell of Hebron dressed as Leon Kennedy from "Resident Evil 2" on Saturday for NWI Comic-Con at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point.
NWI Comic-Con inspires cosplay fun
Gaby Hasier of Merrillville, who dressed as YouTuber Wilbur Soot from Dream SMP, a Minecraft server, for NWI Comic-Con at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point, shows the map that took hours to sew into the overcoat's lining. The wings also took hours to make.
