After much demand from citizens who chose plastic over paper to pay for their bills, the Williston City Commission has approved a credit card payment process for utility service.

At Tuesday’s regular meeting, commissioners chose Automated Financial Service Inc. (AFS) of Grand Forks to provide the credit car service that is to begin Jan. 1, 2009. The other company vying for the deal was nCourt LLC, which was not chosen because it operates out of Woodstock, Ga.

“I don’t necessarily want to fly to Georgia if we have some issues. I can drive to Grand Forks if I have some issues,” City Auditor John Kautzman said prior to Tuesday’s meeting.

The other reason behind Kautzman’s support for AFS is the company recently implemented the payment program for the city of Grand Forks.

“I’m more comfortable trying to deal with a North Dakota company than I would trying to deal with a Georgia company,” he told commissioners at Tuesday’s meeting. Like the vast majority of credit card processing programs, a convenience fee is required to use the service. Whatever the city determines that fee to be, however, is to be covered by those who use the credit card payment option, not the city.

Commissioner Howard Klug questioned how the transaction would work. Kautzman said under the agreement, people could make credit card payments online, over the telephone or in person, and the convenience fee would remain the same across the board.

“It’s a service,” said Commission President Ward Koeser. “It’s not to be a moneymaker for us, but to be a service for our citizens who may want to use that.”

In the future, other departments are expected to implement the program. However, convenience fees would differ accordingly.

“The fees will vary by category of charge,” said Kautzman.

He said municipal court charges, for example, are going to be different than utility charges.

Kautzman said fee surcharges are categorized based upon how problematic funds are to collect.

Providing convenience to the customer, however, is the primary reason behind adopting the program, said Kautzman.

“This initially became an issue in the Building Department. We have many times developers who come through and want to get a building permit, and they don’t have a check or cash,” said Koeser. “We’ve had different requests.”

Koeser also recognizes younger people prefer to do things online.

“So there has been a number of things that has caused us to look at that,” he added.

In other matters, commissioners also approved the first reading of two ordinances. Ordinance 912 deals with wireless telecommunications towers and antennas. It is designed to facilitate siting of telecommunication facilities through appropriate zoning and land use control.

“It provides some guidance as to where towers may end up going, so that you don’t try to negotiate with ‘my back yard,’” said Kautzman.

Ordinance 913 relates to storing used tires outside residential and business establishments.

“This came to us from the Ordinance Review Committee that is looking to kind of clean up the city,” said Koeser.

If adopted, violators would face a Class B misdemeanor.

“This, I recognize, will create somewhat of an issue with some of the dealers that have tires. In some cases, what they are doing is simply storing large quantities near their buildings...It’s unsightly and certainly is a place where if you get rain...(it’s) great breeding grounds for mosquitoes,” said Koeser.

Also passed was a resolution supporting the Williston Vector Control Board measure on the Nov. 4 ballot that requests additional funds to expand mosquito control efforts in the city and nearby areas.