New paper format to arrive in mail
Software glitches, tweaks to the final printed product and lost work days during the holiday season postponed the mailing of this month’s revamped Bellefontaine utility bills, but Utility Supervisor Vicki Stratton anticipates the next bills will be ready to go Jan. 28.
“We were delayed on getting the bills out this month,” she said, “but we had the bills printed and delivered to the post officer shortly after noon on Wednesday. I’m not sure what held them up from there.”
Some customers were still waiting for their bills on Friday.
City utility customers are accustomed to receiving a postcard with billing information in the first days of each month. That should resume with February’s bill, Ms. Stratton said, noting the new bills are, and will continue to be, printed on a folded 81⁄2-by-11-inch sheet of paper.
There is more information about consumption and the period of usage on the bill.
Bellefontaine administrators also plan to use the format to announce other programs, events or changes to city services affecting residents.
This month, the bill includes reminders about the change in the city’s income tax collection.
The Regional Income Tax Agency now handles tax collections for Bellefontaine and offers a variety of payment and filing options including online methods.
Bellefontaine also maintains an office and personnel to help walk-in taxpayers.
Ms. Stratton’s department is using a new high speed printer that can produce a folded and stamped mailer at a fraction of the costs associated with the postcard format. Those cards also are no longer compliant with the U.S. Postal Service standards.
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