MuniciPAY in the News

02.14.2012	NPS partners with GETI to enhance MuniciPAY The Green Sheet Ft. Walton Beach, Fla., Feb. 2, 2012 -- Nationwide Payment Solutions (NPS), a leading registered Merchant Services Provider (MSP), and Global eTelecom, Inc. (GETI), a premiere electronic check processor and gift/loyalty card provider, have partnered to enhance MuniciPAY, an exclusive product of NPS. MuniciPAY now utilizes the GETI Consumer Convenience Fee option to allow the acceptance of electronic check and ACH payments. MuniciPAY allows government entities to accept credit and debit card payments by phone, ecommerce, and over the counter at no cost to the municipality. This unique solution for municipal offices and utility companies allows the acceptance of multiple payment channels, while maximizing revenue by eliminating processing costs for the organization. “By eliminating the processing costs for the municipal office through the use of GETI’s convenience fee option, MuniciPAY is an attractive payment solution,” said Chris Smith, business development manager at GETI. “The ability for municipalities to accept electronic checks and ACH payments in addition to credit and debit cards will enhance the value of the MuniciPAY gateway and ensure they remain processing with NPS for years to come.” "MuniciPAY is an ideal solution for municipal offices that are looking to reduce late payments, increase cash flow, improve operational efficiency and streamline multi-department payment reconciliation,” said Jamie Nonni, CEO of Nationwide Payment Solutions. "We are excited about our partnership with GETI and what the future holds for both companies in the government acceptance channel." About Globel eTelecom Inc. About Nationwide Payment Solutions
03.11.2011	More Budget Transfers At BOT Meeting Written by Joe Scotchie Friday, 11 March 2011 As March approached and with the New York area finally seeing green grass after a long winter of several snowstorms, the Village of Massapequa Park Board of Trustees made one last budget transfer to its snow removal budget. At the Feb. 28 meeting, the BOT approved the transfer of $9,400 from the Unallocated Insurance budget and $12,000 from Unemployment Insurance to its Snow Removal-Contractural expense budget. More specifically, the monies would be used for the salt and sand portion of the budget. In other village news, the BOT voted to continue discussion on a proposal to consider the installation of a No Right Turn on red signal sign at the intersection of Roosevelt Avenue and Clark Boulevard for southbound traffic. Several other proposals were approved by the BOT, including one that authorizes an agreement with the village and MuniciPAY, Nationwide Payment Solutions, of Scarborough, ME to provide credit card service to the village for the acceptance of credit cards. In another service vote, the BOT approved an application by Alliance Electrical Inspection, Ltd., West Islip as an Electrical Inspection Agency for the village. A sign permit application by South Shore Dental Care was also approved. In addition, the BOT approved, with modifications, the request from the St. Rose of Lima Family Festival to hang a banner from June 20 through July 25 of this year at the Long Island Rail Road Station in Massapequa. The next BOT meeting will take place next Monday evening, March 14 at Village Hall, 151 Front St.
02.08.2011	Union Twp. in NJ to Accept Credit Cards for Property Taxes UNION TWP. — By May, the township hopes to provide property owners the ability to pay taxes with a credit card from their homes or offices. Tax Collector Alice Pareti last year suggested the option. The Township Committee has shown enthusiasm about offering property owners a way to pay their taxes online using a credit card. According to Pareti, the credit collection system will be available for use to pay taxes in May as long as the committee adopts a resolution authorizing the system soon. The resolution may be up for a vote at the committee’s next regular meeting Wednesday, Feb. 16, she said. “Not a week goes by that someone doesn’t ask me, ‘can I pay with credit card?’ ” Pareti told the committee last August when she made the proposal. Payments won’t cost the township any money because the taxpayer would have to cover service charges collected by MuniciPAY, the company providing the credit card transaction. The taxpayers would be notified of what they would be charged prior to the finalization payments. MuniciPAY charges a 2.45% service fee unless the payment is made with a Visa check card; Visa holders only have to pay a $3.95 flat fee, Pareti said this week. A swipe machine would be available to make payments at the collector’s office in the Municipal Building. Should a property be going up for tax sale, the owner cannot use a credit card online, Pareti warned. According to Pareti, some 70% of the state’s municipalities have credit card payment methods available, not necessarily for taxes, but for services such as recreation and courts. “In tax offices it’s the growing thing,” she said.
02.24.2011	Lysander Office to Accept Credit Cards The Lysander town office is now accepting credit card payments for the many services provided to area residents. “I have been asked many times if I can accept a credit card for a marriage license, a passport application, fishing or hunting license or certified copies of official town documents,” Town Clerk Lisa Dell said. “I am pleased that this convenience will soon be available.” In all, 30 different services are provided by the Lysander Town Clerk’s office for which there is a fee. Lysander joins a growing list of other towns in New York State who accept credit card payments. Last month, the Lysander Town Board approved a contract with MuniciPAY, the principal provider of credit card systems to municipalities. Residents who elect to use a credit card will be charged a fee of 2.45 percent or a minimum of $1.50 per transaction, which will be retained by MuniciPAY. A disclosure of this fee will be provided to everyone prior to the completion of a credit card transaction. Payment for services of the Lysander Clerk’s office are being added to those of the town’s parks and recreation department who for many years has accepted credit card payments for their year-round programs. “When I ran for the town clerk’s position last year, I promised to make the Clerk’s office more user-friendly and more responsive to the needs of residents,” Dell said. “I am pleased to announce that this is the first of other changes that I am planning.” The town of Lysander is exploring the use of credit cards for payment of taxes later this year. Cards that will be accepted are MasterCard, Visa and Discover Card. src: cnylink.com
01.24.11	The Villages, FL Community Development District Implements MuniciPAY to Offer Credit Card Acceptance for Utility Bills Effective January 24, 2011, the Village Center Utilities Department will offer as a convenience to our customers the option to pay their Amenity, Utility and Trash bill by Discover, Master Card or American Express debit/credit card. This service is provided through Municipay, LLC. In order to use this debit/credit card option customers must agree to pay a 2.4% convenience fee, or a minimum of $1.50 per transaction, whichever is greater. The Village Center Utilities Department does not collect or receive any monies from this convenience fee. It is strictly a processing fee charged by Municipay, LLC in order to provide this convenient service to you. Customers who desire to see their account balances, even if they do not want to pay on-line, can use the Municipay Program to look up the account balances at any time, seven days a week. Payments may be made with Discover, MasterCard or American Express. Visa debit and credit cards will not be accepted as Visa’s regulations do not allow for the use of convenience fees charged for processing debit/credit card transactions.
12.14.2009	Nationwide Payment Solutions and MuniciPAY are pleased to announce a new partnership with Freedom Systems Corporation. Freedom Systems provides Enterprise Software and Systems to local governments within the Mid Atlantic Region. Freedom Systems software solutions are designed for governments and municipal authorities that need a cost effective approach to managing their financial reporting, billing and property maintenance needs. For more information on our new partnership, please contact Stacy Perry at 877-290-1975 ext. 5214 or sperry@getnationwide.com. To learn more about Freedom Systems please visit their website at www.freedomsys.com
11.23.2009	Credit card fees bumped up at Kennebec County Registry of Deeds
10.28.2009	Penfield town clerk now accepting payments by credit card
10.22.2009	Penn-Trafford residents soon will be able to use credit cards to pay for fees
09.2009	Boro eyes credit cards- Hanover residents could charge their municipal bills.
03.2009	March 22, 2009 By BOBBY WARREN Staff Writer WOOSTER -- Wayne County's treasurer has requested the commissioners amend a resolution authorizing credit card payments by including a third vendor. Because of changes by Visa and MasterCard, Treasurer Beverly Shaw said she would now like to use MuniciPAY as a third-party vendor to process credit and debit cards. In 2007, Clerk of Courts Tim Neal sought vendors to process credit and debit card payments. The commissioners ultimately approved using Monitor Bank and Ohio Legacy Bank. Shaw told commissioners Scott Wiggam, Jim Carmichael and Ann Obrecht she was not interested at the time because of rules regarding what fees could be charged. Visa and MasterCard did not allow for discrimination among customers using credit, cash or check to make payments. Consequently, a transaction fee charged by the credit card companies could not be passed on to consumers. But the change in the rules now permits charging a convenience fee when making government-sector payments. Shaw said if the commissioners decide to use MuniciPAY, there will be no cost to the county. The full amount of taxes collected will be paid, and MuniciPAY will charge a fee to use credit or debit as a means of paying. The fee will be 2.45 percent for credit payments and a flat $3.95 charge for debit transactions. Obrecht said the commissioners will meet with Prosecutor Martin Frantz on Tuesday to discuss the possibility of amending the original resolution. "I like this model that you have," Wiggam said, adding he believes the ability to charge a convenience fee benefits the county. "I actually like the model Bev is describing much better." Larry Strasbaugh, a civilian accountant with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office, said the program offered now was not available when Neal was setting up the system. Because of the changes, the Sheriff's Office is now interested in participating in the program, and Strasbaugh asked the commissioners to amend the resolution to include the office as a participant. Initially, the Sheriff's Office declined because it did not want to absorb the transaction fees, he added. Shaw also said paying the convenience fee was a better option than a property owner having to pay a late penalty. After Shaw requested the resolution be changed, Carmichael, a former state representative, said, "I don't know how it is done here, but in Columbus I said, 'I move to amend.'" Before the commissioners can make the treasurer's change, they will need to discuss it with Frantz. The Sheriff Office's request is a straightforward one.