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1. Is there a fee for paying via online portal or IVR?

Payments made through the Interactive Voice Response/IVR or online payment portal are assessed a $1.25 system maintenance fee plus a 2.8% credit card processing fee per transaction.

2. Do other cities charge this sort of 'fee' to their customers?

The City of Melissa is not alone in exercising our right to pass through these charges to our customers. An increasing number of cities (and other public entities) have seen the number of customers paying fees for service by credit/debit card increasing to the point that the levied processing charges are becoming quite excessive too much to just absorb. With legislation enacted by the State of Texas in the last decade authorizing passing this fee along, many have made the determination to assess a ’convenience fee’ or pass through these charges to the customer.

Resources

View the Texas State Local Government Code that gives the legal authorization for payment of fees and other costs by credit card or electronic means in municipalities and counties, as well as the City of Melissa Ordinance authorizing the collection of said fees:

• Texas Local Government Code, Title 4, Subtitle C, Chapter 132
• City of Melissa Ordinance 15-20 - Adopted June 23, 2015 (PDF)

3. How can I avoid paying this 'system maintenance fee'?

If you prefer not to pay a ’system maintenance fee’ there are a number of self-serve payment methods available to you:

• In-person at City Hall or via the curbside drop box: 3411 Barker Avenue, Melissa, TX
• Payments mailed to the lock box via personal check or online bill-pay:
  City of Melissa
  Bank Lock Box
  Department Number 531
  P.O. Box 3689
  Sugar Land, TX 77487
• Payments set up with your bank via auto-draft/ACH