Council to help WWFD seek grant, adopt service fee for credit/debit card payments

By Dan Thesman on Wednesday, December 18th, 2024 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

WALLA WALLA – The Walla Walla City Council meets at 6:30 p.m. today (Wednesday) at council chambers at city hall to consider a memorandum of understanding between the Walla Walla Fire Department, College Place Fire Department, and Walla Walla County Fire District No. 4. The council will also consider adopting a service fee for credit and debit card payments.

The memorandum of understanding will allow the fire departments to apply for a regional assistance to firefighters grant which aims to replace portable radios and outdated personal protective equipment. Currently, WWFD’s portable radios cannot connect to the Bluetooth systems of their face masks, complicating communications for interior firefighting teams. Plus, some of WWFD’s personal protective equipment is nearing its expiration and is in disrepair.

Also on the agenda, the council will consider adopting a service fee for credit and debit card payments. If approved, a two percent service fee would be applied, adding between $100,000 and $500,000 in estimated revenue to the city.

In 2023, the city received $16.7 million in customer payments using credit or debit cards for utility bills, landfill charges, park programs, library services, general billing, and miscellaneous items at several locations withing the city. Last year, the city paid $936,000 in credit card processing fees.