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County of Paintearth bringing in new payment method for ratepayers

County will soon able to accept major credit-cards
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By Kevin J Sabo

For the Advance

County of Paintearth residents will soon have another way to pay taxes and other county charges.

Entering into a partnership with OptionPay the county will soon able to accept major credit-cards in addition to the debit, cheque, and ATB internet banking payments already accepted. OptionPay is an over 20-year-old company that is used by many municipalities, gas co-ops, and is the only credit acceptance service accepted by Alberta Registries and Service Alberta.

The flexibility in payment offered by this service is offset by the cost to the user. While the county will not be required to pay for the services of OptionPay, users who wish to pay using credit-card will have to pay a 3 per cent service fee. This fee is paid to OptionPay and users will be told on-screen what the extra cost will be. For example, if a rate-payer were to pay a $500 bill using the OptionPay service, the fee associated with the transaction would be $15.75. For a $4,000 bill, the fee would result in an additional $120.10 charge.

The county has been asked numerous times over the years whether they accept any of the major credit-cards. The last review of options for credit-card payments occurred in 2013 and was deemed cost-prohibitive due to the large merchant fee the county would have been required to pay. Because OptionPay will require no cost to the county it was deemed to be an appropriate way to give ratepayers the payment option that has been requested for years. Coun. Dale Norton made the carried motion to accept OptionPay as a payments option.

Other highlights of the Feb. 12 meeting:

  • Coun. Maurice Wiart moved to ratify the Ag. Services Board Policies with amendments made to policy #1030 Cattle Scale, #1070 Private Land Weed Control, #1080 Virulent Blackleg of Canola, #1090 Fusarium Head Blight, and #1110 Shelterbelt Planting. • Coun. George Glazier moved that the county sole-source purchase 2 Degelman Sidearms 1820 and REV1500 mowers at an approximate cost of $65,000. The reason to sole-source the purchase is due to previous success with Degelman products and the heavy construction of the equipment. The old equipment would be sold. • In order to keep county vehicles up to date, Coun. Tyrrill Hewitt, moved that the county purchase a 2019 Dodge Ram 4x4 for the Ag. Services Board. The old truck would be sold at auction.
  • In order to keep up to date heavy equipment and according to county policy, council has approved the purchase of 2 new Caterpiller 160 M3 AWD Graders and a 950M Wheel Loader from Finning. In the request for decision it was noted that “over the past 10 years Finning continues to be the lowest or only qualifying tender. Total cost for the equipment will be just over $1.5 million, which is $30,000 under budget.
  • Council was approached by a local artist to purchase a one of a kind 28” high heron statue made of bronze. When the piece won first place at the Alberta Creative Art Show in 1997 the asking price was $7,500, however the artist was willing to sell it for $5,000. In a motion by Coun. Wiart, the county has opted to not purchase the statue at this time but is allowing it to be displayed in the county office and offered for sale.