City will implement credit card payment

BONNE TERRE — When the city gets a credit card machine, they will have a payment policy in place.

On Monday night, the Bonne Terre City Council approved an ordinance establishing a payment by credit card method.

Those using a credit card will be charged a user’s fee based on a percentage of the bill. This is to cover the charges made to the city by the credit card companies.

The city hopes to soon begin accepting credit card payments for utility and court bills. City officials hope this will improve their collection rate.

Also during the meeting, the council increased the city’s water reconnection fee from $30 to $50. Partial payments of the fee only can be accepted if authorized by the city manager.

In other matters, the council approved another payment to Essex Contracting for work on the sewer treatment plant and they hired D&D Cleaning to clean the library at a cost of $300 a month. D&D was the second lowest of 10 bids. Librarian Doris Smither said offenders from the work-release program stopped cleaning months ago and the cleaning was left to her.

Also during the meeting, City Manager Larry Barton said he is getting prices for sewer extensions and for paving some streets in the Hillcrest Subdivision.

The police department has hired two of its reserve officers to replace the two police officers who left. The replacements are Stan Jaco and Jared Marler.

Teresa Ressel is a reporter for the Daily Journal and can be reached at 573-431-2010, ext. 179 or at tressel@dailyjournalonline.com.