City Council approves online utility
payment option and charges

April 04, 2014
Santa Paula City Council

By Peggy Kelly Santa Paula Times The City Council agreed at Monday’s meeting to have the city spend $2,500 to set up software that will enable residents to pay their utility bills online.

Those customers choosing the online service can use credit card, debit card or e-check, but each transaction will have an added $3.95 charge.

Finance Director Sandy Easley told the council at the March 17 meeting that  most other cities in the county provide the bill pay service for free, except for Ventura which charges a $4.25 fee.

Easley said how many residents will use the service is unknown but cities using online payments elsewhere in the county ranges from 5 percent to 28 percent, the latter the percentage of users in Simi Valley.

Easley said the $2,500 set up charge for the system “would be considered a cost of doing business... “ 

Councilman Ralph Fernandez said system users should slowly repay the set up charge, perhaps by adding $1 to each transaction-bringing the total to $4.95 per transaction-until the initial cost is paid.

Councilman Martin Hernandez said, “It will be easier for me to make a decision,” to learn if the initial investment would be offset by a savings in staff time processing bills.

Easley said there is likely a savings “On overtime,” as staff has to work later to process payments received in person.

Whether payments would be posted immediately and avert possible utility shut off or speed reconnects was questioned by Councilman Bob Gonzales.

Easley noted the city receives numerous daily updates on such utility activity and records of payment would be posted promptly.

The city is expected to sign a three-year contract with Paymentus Corporation for the service, which will include bilingual automated payment over the telephone at the same fee rate. Presently the city uses staffers to take such phone payments and does not charge a service fee; direct checks or cash and automatic bank debits for payment will not have a service fee.

Easley, who originally brought the item to the council in September, did not yet have a projected start date for the online service. 





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