Published: November 19, 2009 09:49 am      

DeWitt officials approve credit, debit card payments for city services

DEWITT — DeWitt residents will soon be able to pay fees for city services using either debit or credit cards at DeWitt City Hall.

The DeWitt City Council this week approved the purchase of a swipe machine that will take Mastercard and Discover cards with the city adding a convenience fee for card usage. Visa cardholders will have to make online payments because Visa's rules do not permit a convenience fee. The cost of the swipe machine is about $450, which will be paid for out of the city hall budget for software/hardware needs.

The city is able to enact the procedure through an agreement with iCash, in partnership with ABC Virtual, an Iowa-based provider of payment portals for an annual fee of $400. This is cheaper than contracting directly with credit card companies, Finance Director Deanna Rodriguez told the council.

The council discussed several options, including absorbing the credit card costs and choosing not to accept any credit, debit or e-check payments. Councilman Verlyn Scheckel made a motion for the latter choice but it died for lack of a second. Scheckel voted no on a second motion to approve the machine. The council will review usage of the machine and make a decision to continue it and/or expand usage by July 1,2010.

Rodriguez reviewed the audit report for the year ended June 30, 2009. She noted that the city is issuing debt but also paying it off because money owed has decreased. There are no deficiencies in internal controls nor instances of non-compliance that are required to be reported and it is a good audit, she said.

The council certified its Tax Increment Financing debt at the same rate, $1.3 million, as it has in the last two years. That will allow the city to release an estimated $38,939,113 in taxable value to benefit the city's general fund, the county and the school district. The Central Community School District's Physical Plant and Equipment Levy fund will be enhanced by at least $80,755, Rodriguez said.

A public hearing was held for a 2009-2010 budget amendment. With no public input the amendment, which resulted from unexpected costs and revenues, was approved.

The council agreed to install added stop signs at the intersection of 17th Street and 18th Avenue after the street project is finished. Four stop signs were approved after determining two or three would not efficiently clarify the directions.

Jeremy Stenda and Ryan Edwards were sworn in as police department reserve officers. That brings the total to 10.

The council approved a Letter of Understanding with Eastern Iowa Light and Power and its partner Central Iowa Power Cooperative to have access to the communications tower at 1505 Sixth Ave., DeWitt Fitness Center rate changes pertaining to groups, a $3,000 appraisal cost for the east side stormwater project, and a payment to Biechler Electric of Dubuque for an error in light pole costs in the 2008 downtown project. Additional costs were incurred due to the company's inability to get the light poles from the manufacturer on time. Several entities are absorbing the additional $7,000 increase and this is the most reasonable solution at this time, the city's engineer Geoff Blandin of IIW Engineers of Dubuque told the council.

At the request of the Clinton County Board of Supervisors, the council extended the contract of Clinton County for payment of half the cost to install sidewalk on property on East 11th Street. Paying half was part of an incentive to sidewalk installation during the 11th Street project. Councilwoman Peggy McAvan voted no.

A curb cut at 1212 Hospital Drive was approved per specifications of the Public Works director.

The first reading of an amendment to the ordinance pertaining to the term of office of library board members was approved. It changes the start-time of terms to Jan. 1. Also the second reading of an amendment to the ordinance relating to removal of snow and ice by the city was approved.

As part of the recent town hall meeting, the council conducted a public hearing and approved application for housing development funds through the Iowa Department of Economic Development.