The Clanton Advertiser

The city of Jemison is looking at offering an online water bill payment option for residents in the near future.

City volunteer and resident Rex Bittle presented to the council Monday night a potential plan for executing the online payment process, as well as an estimation of how much it will cost Jemison.

The city would be required to pay about $2,000 for an outside company to set up and manage the system, and residents would submit payments via the city’s website.

Set-up would take from 60-90 days, Bittle said.

“It is the way of the future that people pay electronically for their bills,” Bittle said.

According to Bittle, the company would also take over the physical mailing of the city’s bills and follow-ups for past-due bills.

“This is the technology we’re facing, and it’s going to come to pass,” Mayor Eddie Reed said.

Reed and the council members will hold a work session in the next few weeks to decide whether to accept Bittle’s proposed idea.

The council’s next visitor was Jemison High softball coach Leighsa Robinson, who asked for the city’s help in paying for her team’s hotel rooms at the regional round of the state playoffs May 11-12 at Troy University.

“Our girls fund themselves,” Robinson said. “Our girls are the ones that are representing this city in the playoffs. We don’t ask for a lot.”

The council voted to give the JHS softball team $250 for travel expenses.

In other business, the council approved the transfer of Jemison Package Store’s alcohol license from one owner’s name to another.