“First and foremost we are here for the people. Our citizens work hard and expect their elected officials to provide the best service possible at the cheapest price. With PayGOV we are able to do both. At no cost to the City, and with only a low Convenience Fee to those who choose to use these methods of payment, the decision was clear.”
MILES CITY, MT.--(BUSINESS WIRE)—February 10th, 2014 PayGOV LLC (www.paygov.us) announced today that Miles City citizens are now able to pay utility payments by credit or debit card at the Utility…
The Fountain County Treasurers’ office is now accepting payments online. The County moved to contract with PayGOV.US to provide the service. PayGOV.US is the premier provider to government agencies. To pay your taxes online visit www.paygov.us and enter Pay Location Code 3717.
Early research into accepting credit cards led to several companies whose programs were simply cost prohibitive. The City was unable to absorb the costs involved. City Clerk Patty Parchen focused her search on what other Montana municipalities were using. “ We contacted several Montana Cities and they all had the same recommendation – PayGOV.US. PayGOV allows the City to accept online payments without paying the fees. Instead of all residents paying more to cover the costs only those that use the service pay a small convenience fee. Offering credit cards has been a goal for a long time, and I’m happy to report that now we do!”
The district has contracted with PayGOV.US to provide the service. Nina Latimer led the effort for CSCD to expand payment options. Realizing the need to offer online payment to the District Nina sought a solution. “ We have had requests to accept credit cards for years. Until now the costs kept acceptance out of reach.” Explained Latimer.
Online payments is the latest step towards greater resident convenience Valier Clerk Treasurer Jackie Sheble has taken. “We are thrilled to have a vendor that understands the balance between customer convenience and our fiduciary duty to the residents. We wanted to provide more methods of payment while keeping costs low. Until now the service was considered cost prohibitive,” explained Mrs. Sheble. “We chose PayGOV because of their reputation and Montana references.”
“We found PayGOV.US after searching for a sensible solution,” stated Clerk/Treasurer Abigail Lawson, “they came highly recommended by other cities and towns throughout Indiana and were the perfect choice for Kingman.” PayGOV.US provides the service to the town at no cost. Only the residents who choose to use the service for convenience are assessed a nominal fee.
Clerk/Treasurer Donna Musenbrock pioneered the search, “Our customers work hard and expect to be able to pay their Utilities at their convenience. At the same time we couldn’t justify the Town paying for the service.” explained Mrs. Musenbrock. “Thankfully, PayGOV came highly recommended as the solution to our problem! Best of all is the cost to the town - FREE!”
The search for the right company took longer than expected. Few were willing to accommodate the needs of the Village or were simply too expensive. Phyllis Falsetta, Village Clerk, searched for a vendor which specialized in local government. Most companies offering services to municipalities engaged their clients in long term contracts or charged exorbitant fees. Mrs. Falsetta knew there had to be a better way.
The search for a vendor took longer than expected. Few were willing to accommodate the needs of the Town or were simply too expensive. Clerk/Treasurer Brenda Schneider found the right vendor after reaching out to surrounding Montana towns. The response was overwhelmingly in favor of one vendor, PayGOV.US. Mrs. Schneider explained, “PayGOV has positioned us to move forward technologically without absorbing the costs.”
In order to offer this service the Town has contracted with an Minority Owned Indiana based company known as a premier provider of electronic payments. PayGOV.US is a leader in merchant processing in the government sector. Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Stoops credits their success with their “ability to adapt quickly” to the changing environment. “We found PayGOV.US after searching for just the right company,” explained Clerk/Treasurer Linda Fisk, “ they came highly recommended by other cities and towns throughout Indiana.”
The City of Douglas moved forward with a plan to accept credit/debit cards for Utility payments. The move expands the payment options for customers allowing online and over the phone payments.
Clerk/Treasurer Beth Bennett led the effort to expand service. "People ask if they can pay with their card every week," explained Mrs. Bennett. "Now we can finally tell them YES!"
“We are pleased to continue to offer our electronic payment service to Sturgeon Bay at a reduced rate and to add electronic check acceptance. In this economy it is vital that every avenue is explored to increase revenue collection.” Remarked Jonathan Stoops, Chief Operations Officer for PayGOV.US. “Sturgeon Bay is a Utility on the forefront of innovation.”
Clerk-Treasurer Robyn Cook is to be commended for the expansion of service. "The addition of credit cards has been a long time coming, and I'm extremely happy to offer convenient payment options without placing that cost on the Town," explained Cook. "Residents have continually requested this and we are excited to begin!”
Safety Director Greg Berquest researched a dozen vendors before deciding upon a midwestern company. “PayGOV is known throughout the midwest as a great fit for government”, explained Mr. Berquest, “After a thorough search I am comfortable with our selection. We expect to work with them for years to come.” Special thanks to Julie Fish and Sherryl George who worked closely during the selection process and were able to negotiate a waiver of all costs to the City. This keeps the burden off taxpayers who do not use plastic. PayGOV.US is the preferred vendor for Ohio municipal government.
Both Mayor Jack Woods and Clerk-Treasurer Jan Lynch are to be commended for their efforts in serving residents. " I'm extremely happy to report that the City continues to improve upon our goal of providing our residents with efficient customer service," explained Mayor Woods.
Scarlet Ammerman is to be commended for her efforts to serve residents. "The addition of credit cards has been a long time coming. The Town continues to improve upon our goal of providing accurate, courteous, and easy customer service," explained Mrs. Ammerman. "Residents have continually requested this particular customer service upgrade, and our staff worked diligently to implement this improvement with no cost to the Town. We're happy to start the year off on such a positive note."
County Recorder Jon Miller made the decision after researching dozens of providers. Miller ultimately decided upon an Indiana based vendor. “ I was impressed by their “hands on” approach”, explained Miller, “ They have a reputation for excellence in service and reliability. And with the Convenience Fee program the County is able to offer electronic payments without paying the cost.” PayGOV.US is the preferred vendor for Indiana municipal government.
Kendallville Clerk/Treasurer Sheryl Hanes chose PayGOV after dozens of Indiana Clerk/Treasurers referred the company. Ms. Hanes met with PayGOV representatives Michael Hiatt and Jonathan Stoops to develop a program for residents.
