After learning today that an average of 7,000 utility customers a month make payments at the city’s drive-through and walk up cashier windows at City Hall, the Council reversed a tentative decision to close the cashier windows effective October 1.

The move would have saved $80,000 a year, but would only have benefit the General Fund $1,000.  Nearly all of the cost of staffing the cashier windows is charged to the city’s utilities and other enterprise funds.

Finance Director Cindy Lawson proposed keeping the cashier windows open until the electric system is sold.  In the mean time, she said the city can improve its electronic pay solutions, including establishing an online payment portal.

Mayor Criag Fletcher asked Lawson to come back in six months with a plan for phasing out the city cashier windows.