ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - Some Albany residents say they are frustrated after the city announced new fees tied to how customers receive and pay their utility bills.

The changes, set to take effect April 6, include a 50-cent fee for customers who choose to receive a paper bill and a 0.5% fee for those who pay using a credit or debit card.

City Manager Terrell Jacobs said the fees are not new costs created by the city, but rather convenience fees the city has been absorbing on behalf of customers for years.

What the city says

Jacobs said banks charge the city up to 3% on every credit and debit card transaction. On a $500 bill, that amounts to as much as $15 per transaction. He said the city has been spreading that cost across all utility customers — including those who pay by cash or check.

“We’ve been absorbing that fee,” Jacobs said. “And so what happens is that fee is spread amongst all those customers. So technically, you’re still paying for it.”

Jacobs said the city opted to pass along only 0.5% to card-paying customers rather than the full amount the banks charge.

“We could have looked at something more like a 2%, but we said, look, we want to start with something that’s amenable for folks, not to show them some sticker shock,” Jacobs said. “And a half percent, I thought was reasonable.”

He said the city was absorbing close to $700,000 annually in card processing fees before the change. Jacobs said he hopes the new fee structure reduces that figure to around $200,000 to $300,000.

“That’s right. Because right now, we have to plug that into our budget as a cost of doing business,” Jacobs said. “And we have to spread that amongst all those customers.”

On the paper billing fee, Jacobs said the city uses a third-party company to print, package and mail bills to roughly 32,000 customers across nine to 10 billing cycles. He said the 50-cent fee does not fully cover those costs.

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More increases not expected

Jacobs said residents should not expect additional fee increases in the near future.

“No, I think we’re trying to see how this goes,” Jacobs said. “Because once again, we were looking at about $700,000 on the convenience fee costs. And if we can reduce that somewhat, that will help us.”

He said reducing the amount the city absorbs in processing fees could also help lower overall utility rates for all customers over time, since those costs are currently factored into the city’s utility budget.

What the city says to residents on fixed incomes

Jacobs acknowledged concerns from elderly residents and those on fixed incomes who rely on paper bills.

“I understand that. And that’s a critical thing — They’ve been used to getting the mail, getting the bills. That’s the way they do business. And we want them to continue that,” Jacobs said.

He said the city’s online portal is designed to be simple to use and encouraged residents to try it, noting that it allows customers to track electric, natural gas, water and sewer usage in real time — before a paper bill arrives.

“I make two or three clicks, and I can already see how much my bill is going to be,” Jacobs said.

Jacobs said the city is also preparing to launch a new app through its AMI system that will allow customers to set a monthly spending limit and receive an alert when they are approaching it.

“If you sign into this portal, get into this app — once you get to like $275, it’s going to prompt you and say, ‘You’re getting close to that $300,’” Jacobs said. “So then you can make some conscious decisions about your consumption.”

How to avoid the fees

Jacobs said customers have options to avoid both fees entirely:

• To avoid the card fee: Pay by cash, check or through the city’s online portal using a checking account and routing number, which processes as an ACH transfer and bypasses the card merchant system.
• To avoid the paper bill fee: Sign up for electronic billing through the city’s online portal, where customers can also monitor their usage in real time.

Jacobs said the portal allows customers to view their bill before a paper statement arrives in the mail.

What residents are saying

The announcement has drawn reactions online and in the community, with some residents calling the added costs unfair.

“Every little bit counts right now,” one resident said. “This just feels like more on top of more.”

“I’m on a fixed income, so even a little fee matters,” another resident said.

Others said they may change how they pay their bills to avoid the new charges.

“I’ll probably switch how I pay, but it’s still something extra,” a third resident said.

By the numbers

For a customer with a $300 utility bill who receives a paper bill and pays by card:

• Paper bill fee: +$0.50
• Card payment fee (0.5%): +$1.50
• Total bill: $302.00

Customers who switch to paperless billing and pay by check, cash or ACH bank transfer through the city portal would not be subject to either fee.

What to know

• $0.50 fee for paper billing
• 0.5% fee for card payments
• Takes effect April 6, 2026
• Customers can avoid fees by paying via cash, check or ACH bank transfer and opting into electronic billing
• No additional fee increases are expected at this time

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