This document outlines the procedure for tracking and collecting debts created by returned check payments received by the OC Animal Care Field Services Operations and Business Licensing Departments. When a check is returned unpaid, designated staff will update the original receipt in Chameleon to reflect the unpaid amount, create a new balance receipt, and record the returned item in the OC Animal Care Returned Items Tracking Spreadsheet for monitoring. Staff will also take additional steps like adding non-payment fees or changing permit statuses as needed depending on the specific situation. The goal is to accurately track returned payments and ensure collection of outstanding balances.

1. Number: 300.59
SUBJECT: TRACKING AND COLLECTIONS PROCESS FOR
RETURNED PAYMENT ITEMS AFFECTING THE
FIELD SERVICES OPERATIONS AND BUSINESS
LICENSING DEPARTMENTS
Page: 1
Date: 5/21/14
Approved: Ryan Drabek, Director Revised:
I. PURPOSE
To establish a procedure for the tracking and collecting of debts on balances
created from check payments received by OC Animal Care affecting the Field
Services Operations and Business Licensing Departments which were returned
unpaid.
II. POLICY
All checks which are presented for payment to the bank and are returned unpaid
for NSF (Non-Sufficient Funds) or any other reason will be tracked through
Chameleon and the OC Animal Care Returned Items Tracking Spreadsheet
(Attachment B).
III. SCOPE
Applicable to all OC Animal Care personnel performing duties for the Field
Services Operations or Business Licensing Department.
IV. FORMS
Chameleon Receipt (Attachment A)
OC Animal Care Returned Items Tracking Spreadsheet (Attachment B)
Orange County Treasurer Tax Collector (TTC) Returned Items notification
(Attachment C)
OC Animal Care’s Internal Field Billing Memo (Attachment D)
V. REFERENCES
Not applicable

2. Number: 300.59
SUBJECT: TRACKING AND COLLECTIONS PROCESS FOR
RETURNED PAYMENT ITEMS AFFECTING THE
FIELD SERVICES OPERATIONS AND BUSINESS
LICENSING DEPARTMENTS
Page: 2
Date: 5/21/14
Approved: Ryan Drabek, Director Revised:
VI. DEFINITIONS
Operations Desk Sergeant - The current Operations Desk Sergeant for the
Operations Department or any otherwise designated staff member performing
duties for the Operations Desk.
Business Licensing Specialist - The current Business Licensing Specialist for the
Business Licensing Department or any otherwise designated staff member
performing duties for the Business Licensing Desk.
VII. PROCEDURE
A. The TTC will notify all appropriate OC Animal Care Staff via email when a
check is returned unpaid. The following information will be included in the
notification:
1. Deposit date
2. Check Amount
3. Maker of the check
4. Address on the check
5. Telephone number on the check, if available
6. Return Reason (NSF, account closed, etc.)
7. Bank and account information from the check
B. The Operations Desk Sergeant or Business Licensing Specialist will open all
“Returned Items” email notifications and review each returned item to verify
it was submitted as a payment for a program handled by each respective
department.
C. After locating those items which were applied to fees associated with the
Operations or Business Licensing Departments, the designated staff member
will do the following:
1. Open the Chameleon software program and locate the original receipt the
returned payment was applied to.

3. Number: 300.59
SUBJECT: TRACKING AND COLLECTIONS PROCESS FOR
RETURNED PAYMENT ITEMS AFFECTING THE
FIELD SERVICES OPERATIONS AND BUSINESS
LICENSING DEPARTMENTS
Page: 3
Date: 5/21/14
Approved: Ryan Drabek, Director Revised:
2. Journal Entry the original receipt to indicate that the amount was not
actually paid.
(a) If the original receipt included multiple payment items and the
amount of the returned payment item is less than the full amount of
payment received on the receipt, then a new receipt will need to be
created to reflect the payment that was received successfully from
the original receipt. A detailed memo indicating this action is to be
placed on the Person ID (PID) attached to the original receipt.
(b) If the amount of the returned item is for full payment of the original
receipt, the Journal Entry will be performed and a corresponding
detailed memo will be included on the Person ID (PID) attached to
the original receipt.
3. Once the Journal Entry has been performed for the original receipt, a new
balance receipt will need to be created to reflect the charges which are
unpaid due to the returned item.
(a) On a new receipt, in addition to the line item charges that were on
the original receipt, which will need to be added individually, add a
NSF CHECK 1 or NSF CHECK 2 line item to the new receipt. If the
person has previously submitted a check payment to the County of
Orange and it was returned unpaid, the NSF CHECK 2 line item will
need to be used. Information on previously returned payments to
other County of Orange departments can be obtained from the TTC.
(b) Make sure the payment section of the receipt is blank and store the
receipt. Chameleon will ask you to verify that you wish to store a
receipt with a non-zero balance. Accept this action and the receipt
will be stored. This will create a balance total for the customer for
these charges.
D. The designated staff member will need to research to see if the returned
payment was made towards a Potentially Dangerous or Vicious Permit or
towards any charge associated with the Business Licensing Department that
reflects a compliance issue. If so, locate the permit in question in the
Tag/Link window of the Chameleon program. Ensure that the status reads
“Collection” and that the problem code of “P” is indicated to reflect that the

4. Number: 300.59
SUBJECT: TRACKING AND COLLECTIONS PROCESS FOR
RETURNED PAYMENT ITEMS AFFECTING THE
FIELD SERVICES OPERATIONS AND BUSINESS
LICENSING DEPARTMENTS
Page: 4
Date: 5/21/14
Approved: Ryan Drabek, Director Revised:
permit is not valid and missing payment. Update the receipt number on this
screen to the balance receipt created earlier. Place a “snake” icon on the
Person ID (PID) for which the payment was submitted.
E. If this payment was for a Potentially Dangerous or Vicious Permit, the
designated staff member will follow-up on the payment of the returned item.
If unpaid, the file will be submitted to the Supervising Animal Control
Officer assigned to manage the Operations Department for approval to bill
the responsible party a non-compliance fee if applicable.
1. If approved, the designated staff member will bill the responsible party a
non-compliance fee by submitting an Internal Field Billing Memo to the
accounting department. The accounting staff member receiving such
memo will sign and date both copies and return the white copy to the
Operations Department at the time of submission. This copy will be
placed in the back section of the in-house (white) file for the responsible
party in question.
F. For Potentially Dangerous or Vicious Dog balances, the balance of the
returned item will be added to the total outstanding balance of the responsible
party and indicated in the anecdotal of the red compliance check folder when
the file is sent out for the next regularly scheduled compliance check.
Investigating Sergeants will attempt to collect any all fees owed to the
program during compliance checks.
G. The Operations Desk Sergeant will indicate all actions taken in the
Operations Department in regards to this policy and procedure in the
anecdotal of both the in-house (white) and field (red) files.
H. If the returned item was for charges associated with the Business Licensing
Department, the Business Licensing Specialist will locate the file folder of
the account affected by the returned payment. The returned payment and any
other actions taken will be recorded in the anecdotal of the file, along with a
printed copy of the balance receipt. The file will be sent out with the
appropriate Business Licensing Sergeant or otherwise designated staff
member for collection of payment.

5. Number: 300.59
SUBJECT: TRACKING AND COLLECTIONS PROCESS FOR
RETURNED PAYMENT ITEMS AFFECTING THE
FIELD SERVICES OPERATIONS AND BUSINESS
LICENSING DEPARTMENTS
Page: 5
Date: 5/21/14
Approved: Ryan Drabek, Director Revised:
I. The designated staff member will open the OC Animal Care Returned Items
Tracking Spreadsheet, located on the Z: / drive in the Operations Desk
Billing Folder. The appropriate returned items will be recorded in this
spreadsheet for tracking. The following information will be recorded into the
spreadsheet at this time:
1. Person ID (PID)
2. Name
3. Original Chameleon receipt number
4. Amount of returned payment
5. Date of original receipt
6. Balance receipt number
J. The designated staff member will continue to monitor the Returned Items
Tracking Spreadsheet to follow-up on when returned payments are
reconciled. When verified, the resolution date and paid in full section of the
spreadsheet should be completed.