The Town of Sundre will be providing citizens the option to send utility bills electronically, effective Jan. 1.
The request was made by Wanda Watson-Neufeld, director of corporate services, at the council meeting on Dec. 3. Council then approved the initiative.
Watson-Neufeld said the idea came to council's attention after the town upgraded its financial system in September. Administration felt the move would “save the town both money and be sustainable”, council was told.
She said e-billing would be a convenience to citizens of Sundre because they would be able to access and pay their bills online as well as on their cellphones.
This seems to be the best of convenience to the younger generation, she added, and that it is also an environmentally friendly move.
“The benefits of e-billing are mostly cash-based,” said Watson-Neufeld, adding the benefit of the town.
She said it will cost $2,000 to move to e-billing but would save the town money in the long run. The more people who sign up for e-billing, the more money saved.
Watson-Neufeld said the cost for the town to provide each monthly bill to residents in hard copy is $1.69, multiplied by 1,600 bills (the number of bills they send out each month) equalling $2,698.48.
The total annual cost is $32,381.80.
She said even if five per cent of Sundre citizens, which translates to 80 bills, decide to switch to e-billing, it would save the town $1,619.09.
After a year-long trial period of e-billing, Watson-Neufeld said council will decide on a possibility of issuing a charge for every individual who wishes to continue receiving paper bills.
“We like to call ourselves a sustainable town so we're trying to find anything that we can do to be more sustainable.”
