Marion hopes to resume online utility payment by July
Staff writer
Marion aims to restore online utility payments by July 1. The system has been down since late last summer.
Computer consultant Lloyd Davies said the city’s Works billing system stopped allowing online payments around August or September because of software issues.
The city already has paid for a replacement system, he said.
The change has been delayed while staff handles about 1,000 work orders tied to new water meters, city administrator Brian Wells said.
He said 600 to 700 meters had been installed by a contractor and that switching to the new system should take about two weeks once started.
Council member Zach Collett said residents had been frustrated. He urged setting a deadline. Wells responded he would push to have online payments restored by July 1.
City holding the bag?
Marion could be left holding the bag for an airport fuel system project as the city awaits a state decision on whether it will cover cost overruns.
The project was approved in February at a cost of about $160,000, with most of the expense expected to be covered by a Kansas Department of Transportation grant.
The project has since exceeded its original cost, Wells said. The grant has not come through, and Marion is one of three cities seeking additional state money to offset cost increases.
“It’s not a ‘no’; it’s just in process,” Wells said.
State officials are waiting to determine how much money remains available, Wells said. That would include money returned or unspent from other projects. He did not specify how much the city might be stuck with.
Council members also approved an updated water conservation plan and adopted a drought emergency ordinance. The plan outlines three stages of drought response, while the ordinance gives the city authority to enforce restrictions if needed.
In other business, the council approved a beer garden for Chingawassa Days and approved a cereal malt beverage license for 56 Travelers Cafe pending confirmation of no zoning conflict.