54.320.  Collector-treasurer, compensation — fees — deputies and assistants, compensation — training program, attendance required, expenses, compensation (township counties). — 1.  The county collector-treasurer in counties of the third and fourth classifications adopting township organization shall receive an annual salary as set forth in the following schedule.  The assessed valuation factor shall be the amount thereof as shown for the year next preceding the computation.  A county collector-treasurer subject to the provisions of this section shall not receive an annual compensation less than the total compensation being received by the county treasurer ex officio collector in that county for services rendered or performed for the period beginning March 1, 1987, and ending February 29, 1988.  The county collector-treasurer shall receive the same percentage adjustments provided by county salary commissions for county officers in that county pursuant to section 50.333.  The provisions of this section shall not permit or require a reduction in the amount of compensation being paid for the office of county treasurer ex officio collector on January 1, 1997, or less than the total compensation being received for the services rendered or performed for the period beginning March 1, 1987, and ending February 29, 1988.  The salary shall be computed on the basis of the following schedule:

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In addition, the collector-treasurer shall collect on behalf of the county a fee for the collection of all back taxes and all delinquent taxes of two percent on all sums collected to be added to the face of the tax bill, and collected from the party paying the tax.  The collector-treasurer shall collect on behalf of the county a fee of three percent on all licenses, including current railroad and utility taxes, surtax, back taxes, delinquent taxes and interest collected by the collector-treasurer, to be deducted from the amounts collected.  The collector-treasurer shall collect on behalf of the county for the purpose of mailing statements and receipts required by section 139.350 a fee of one-half of one percent on all licenses and all taxes, including current taxes, back taxes, delinquent taxes, and interest collected by the collector-treasurer, to be deducted from the amounts collected.  All fees collected under this section shall be collected on behalf of the county and shall be deposited in the county treasury or as provided by law.  Collector-treasurers in counties having a township form of government are entitled to collect such fees immediately upon an order of the circuit court under section 139.031. If the protest is later sustained and a portion of the taxes so paid is returned to the taxpayer the county shall return that portion of the fee collected on the amount returned to the taxpayer.  The collector-treasurer in each of the third and fourth classification counties which have adopted the township form of county government is entitled to employ deputies and assistants, and for the deputies and assistants is allowed not less than the amount allowed in 2003-2004, whichever is greater.

  2.  Notwithstanding any provisions of law to the contrary, the collector-treasurer in each county of the third or fourth classification having a township form of government shall employ not fewer than one full-time deputy.  The collector-treasurer may employ such number of deputies and assistants as may be necessary to perform the duties of the office of collector-treasurer promptly and correctly, as determined by the collector-treasurer.  The office of the collector-treasurer shall be funded sufficiently to compensate deputies and assistants at a level no less than the compensation provided for other county employees.  Such deputies and assistants shall be allowed adjustments in compensation at the same percentage as provided for other county employees, as effective January first each year.

  3.  Two thousand dollars of the salary authorized in this section shall be payable to the collector-treasurer only if such officer has completed at least twenty hours of classroom instruction each calendar year relating to the operations of the collector-treasurer's office when approved by a professional association of the county treasurers or county collectors of Missouri unless exempted from the training by the professional association.  The professional association approving the program shall provide a certificate of completion to each collector-treasurer who completes the training program and shall send a list of certified collector-treasurers to the county commission of each county.  Expenses incurred for attending the training session may be reimbursed to the county collector-treasurer in the same manner as other expenses as may be appropriated for that purpose.