JCWSD switching to a new online payment portal
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STEUBENVILLE -- Jefferson County Water and Sewer District is switching to a new online payment portal, Invoice Cloud, that will save users some money and expand payment options.
The agreement, approved by commissioners Thursday, means customers will be able to locate, view and print bills and payments made with credit cards, debit cards and electronic checks; make one-time payments without registering; link their accounts if they have more than one; receive emailed receipts after a payment is processed; go paperless.
They'll also get to reset their own passwords -- that's currently a 45-minute process that requires a JCWSD employee to complete.
Customers will have to register to see their account history, schedule a payment or set up auto payments.
JCWSD Director Mike Eroshevich told commissioners the change makes a lot of sense, particularly since the company agreed to shorten the contract.
"Originally the contract was for a lot longer, but we asked them to make it three years," he said, later adding that "the iCloud payment system will be a little cheaper for our customers and provide more options for payments, reminders and the ability for them to look back on their billing history,"
Commissioner Dave Maple said it was "fantastic" news.
"I didn't know they were investigating it, I was really pleased to see it," Maple said. "It's good for customers -- it's a little cheaper for them -- not a lot, but cheaper -- and it's a lot more user friendly."
Fees under Invoice Cloud will be $3.75, Eroshevich said. Under the previous vendor they paid a little more than $4 per transaction.
Eroshevich also got the go-ahead to seek an outside opinion on the legality of using a municipal lease for the department's water meter replacement project.
He said a municipal lease "will save us money to prepare a bid process, speed up the time we can start and ensure we ... have control over what we want and need, as opposed to the lowest bidder."
Maple said they're looking at the most efficient and effective way "to get new, more accurate meters."
"Financing them is no easy task," Maple said. "We're talking hundreds -- I think, 400-500 to start with, so there's a lot."
He said the department has been losing money "because (the meters) are not billing appropriately."
"And it won't be as labor intensive," he added, pointing out they'd be able to do remote readings.
Commissioners signed off on Ascent Resources' request to amend its road use maintenance agreement for County Road 26.
Construction Engineer Eric Hilty said Ascent "agreed to assist in the cost to repair this slip in (an) amount not to exceed $175,000."
"Ascent has four well pads located beyond this slip site," he said, adding that financial assistance from Ascent and the Ohio Public Works Commission "will ensure that this slip failure will be completed as soon as possible."
"Ascent needs this route, they're willing to help us out with it which is really a big benefit for our department," he said. "This is funding for our local share ... we are expected (to pay) around $300,000 in local share, we'd be really tight on our budget with that. We could handle it on our own but Ascent offered to help us out to ensure it gets done in a timely manner."
Four contractors submitted bids for the slip repair: Chivers Contracting of Fairview, Pa., $1,563,330; Ohio-West Virginia Excavating, $1,284,344; Susany Development of North Lima, $1,073,048; and Allen Stone of Williamstown, $915,285.
The engineer's estimate was $1,464,250.
"I'm hoping to have a contract in two weeks," Hilty said. "I do think contractors will be able to jump on it quickly -- I'm thinking the end of November, maybe earlier."
Commissioners approved a fund transfer shifting $30,000 in appropriations they previously made to the Jefferson County Fair Board and Friendship Park Board from the recreation account to their oil and gas account.
"We're not moving money from recreation to oil and gas, we're moving the expenditure," Maple clarified.
The move returns the $60,000 to the recreation fund, giving it a balance of around $110,000. That's important because commissioners have been looking at ways to fund recreation projects in townships most impacted by oil and gas development. While the oil and gas account has a several hundred thousand dollar balance, there are rules about how it can be spent. The prosecutor has said they may use the money for projects in a township or municipal corporation "so long as the board of county commissioners concludes, in the reasonable exercise of its discretion, that the expenditure constitutes a county purpose." The prosecutor also suggested commissioners "have broad discretion to determine whether a particular expenditure serves a county purpose," but so far commissioners have been reluctant to make that determination.
They did award Springfield township funds to assist a recreation project, changing mulch around a playground.
"When we handed out the recreation requests, Springfield township had a request but we didn't give them any money," Commissioner Tony Morelli said. "I contacted the (fiscal officer) and ... told her we needed some details, not just a bulk number."
Morelli said the township officer told him their insurer advised them to change the mulch at the playground. "Whatever we would give them, they have some private donors and some other funding sources so they will get it done, then they'll send us (detailed) information," he said. "What I'd like to do is give them some money."
The township also hopes to turn an existing, little-used tennis court into a pickleball court.
"What's prohibiting them from sending an estimate on how much they need?" Maple asked. "That's what all the other townships do. I'm ok, just with respect to you, I will honor the request to send them some money. However, the practice is 'here's our estimates and here's how much we're going to do' but they're saying give us some money and then we'll send you the detail of what we're going to spend it on."
Morelli suggested a $3,500 appropriation from the recreation fund.
"I'm definitely fine with that," Timmons said.
Maple agreed, and suggested they should send out recreation grant requirements again in advance of next year's application period, reminding participants to submit quotes with their application and, when the project is done, a detailed report on how the money was used.
Morelli also said Albert Carapellotti, owner of the building Wintersville County Court is moving into, has waived a month's rent while construction is in progress. He said both sides had some delays getting the work underway.
"The lease was written to start July 1," Morelli said. "There were delays ... He just wanted to be fair to the county and offer one month rent (free) for the delays. It was a kind and generous offer which, legally, he did not need to offer us."
Maple agreed, pointing out that, "Contractually, we were bound to pay it."
"For him to be reasonable about it, I think is very fair," he said.
In other business, commissioners:
— Approved a $25,000 settlement with a Tiltonsville property owner who'd claimed his property was damaged by JCWSD crews.
— Signed a contract with Cast and Baker for Jefferson Regional Planning Commission's CDBG resurfacing project, Island Creek Township Road 419. The Canonsburg firm was the lowest of three bidders, coming in at $132,867,50.