More changes coming for Bloomfield's water bills

Residents of Bloomfield will soon be able to make their water bill payments in a couple of new ways.

Starting in the very near future, the City of Bloomfield will begin automatically verifying checks upon receipt and will also begin accepting debit and credit cards for payment.

Brooke Smith, who is in charge of the monthly water bills and accounts, said that the new system should do more than just saving her a little time during her day.

"This should decrease and almost eliminate returned checks," she told the Board of Aldermen Monday night. "It will cost a little bit initially, but I think it will balance out in the long run."

The new system will cost just shy of $1,000 and will also be used by City Collector Hazel Williams for residents paying their annual city taxes.

"We get calls, literally every day, from people wanting to make payments with their crdit cards," Smith said.

After the system is up and running, the city will be paying a fee of 39 cents per transaction as opposed to the 10 cents it is currently paying, but officials expect that cost to be offset by the decreased assessment fees for physically turning in checks for deposit.

Another change coming, however, might not be quite so popular among residents.

The Aldermen voted for City Attorney Don Rhodes to prepare an ordinance changing the assessed 10-percent late fee to a set $5 for people paying their bill before the 10th of each month.

"Hopefully this will encourage more people to pay their bills on time," Smith said. She said the department mails out numerous shut-off notices every month and hopes the fee increase will help to slow it down.

Among other business at Monday's meeting:

* The Board approved allowing the Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce to use one of the vacant offices in City Hall and also granted them use of the meeting facilities. Until now, the Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce has not had an official home.

* The Fire Department is requesting anyone planning to do a controlled burn of any type, including a field, please inform the Stoddard County Sheriff's Department prior. With Spring coming, the increased number of brush and grass fires has the department extremely busy and they want to make sure calls coming in are for actual emergencies.

* March 15 is the last day to pay the city motor vehicle license tax. Summons wil be mailed to those not paid on the morning of March 16.

* Approved merchant's licenses for Wilson's Auto Body and The Computer Room.

* There will be an extra trash pickup on Saturday, March 16, and a dumpster will be placed at the Bloomfield Water Department for the week beginning March 19 as part of Spring Clean-up.

* The town hall hearing to discuss the possibility of replacing city property taxes with a sales tax has been rescheduled for March 26, at 7 p.m.

Corey Noles can be contacted via e-mail at cnoles@dailystatesman.com