A convenience afforded to Shawnee utility customers for more than 35 years will come to an end — at least temporarily — when the utility department’s drive-thru window closes 5 p.m. Friday at City Hall.
“Since the beginning of the building being built that window has been manned,” Phyllis Loftis, city and court clerk, said. “We fought closing it as long as we could; we kept trying to save it. It’s really going to be an inconvenience for some but we had to do it.”
Several factors led to the closing of the window, including the economic downturn and difficulty with staffing issues, as well as the introduction of several other payment options.
Although the window will close Friday, the employee currently assisting customers with bill payments will not be without work, Loftis said.
“We can’t rehire right now but we can do re-shifting,” she said. “Our water window guy will be a meter reader starting Monday.”
Loftis said that at the utility department, the “highest dollar amount received comes in through the mail.” However, she said the window has its fair share of business too.
“It’s always pretty steady,” she said. “If there’s a cut off that day, you’ll see more people coming to the window, but it varies.”
Loftis said she sympathizes with many of the customers who have grown accustomed to using the window on a regular basis for several years.
“I feel bad for the elderly,” she said. “They really like to hand the money to someone, and sometimes it’s hard for them to get out of their vehicles.”
For those who want to continue paying their bills in-person, Loftis said there will be two customer service windows inside.
Customers also may appreciate the addition of at least two 15-minute reserved parking spots, designated for utility bill payment parking only, on the east side of City Hall. And the night drop also will continue to be available for those who do not want to go inside to pay their bills.
Other payment options are auto draft, with applications and more information available for print on the city’s Web site; online payment; phone payment, with use of credit card; postal mail; the 24-hour night drop; or walk-in options.
The current building, in which the utility department and the drive-thru payment window are located, was built about 1971 to replace the old City Hall structure that was badly damaged by a tornado that hit downtown Shawnee Oct. 5, 1970. The current building is located on the same site — at Ninth and Broadway streets — as was the original building, which was constructed in 1905.
For now, no date has been set for reopening the window and it is possible it will remain closed for good.
“I would hesitate to give a prediction on its reopening or if there will be one,” Loftis said.
For more information regarding bill payment online, through auto draft or by other means, visit www.shawneeok.org/utilities.
In addition, utility customers may visit www.shawneeok.org/payments for online and auto draft billing. A $1.25 fee is charged to customers who use the online billing method.
“The Utility Billing/Customer Service Web site link may also be used to download new customer application forms, bank draft request forms and landlord 30-day water requests forms,” Loftis said. “Customers interested in tracking their water usage may also use this link to view their billing information, payment history, chart water usage and calculate bills.”
Customers also may call 878-1560 for additional information or may speak with a utility department employee in-person by visiting City Hall, 16 W. Ninth, and entering through the northeast side of the building.
“The city of Shawnee regrets any inconvenience this closure may cause,” Loftis said. “The city is confident that the redistribution of staff into areas of greater need will be beneficial to all of our citizens. It is our hope that with the support of our citizens, these tough economic times will soon turn around.”
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Johnna Ray may be reached at 214-3934.
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A convenience afforded to Shawnee utility customers for more than 35 years will come to an end — at least temporarily — when the utility department’s drive-thru window closes 5 p.m. Friday at City Hall.
“Since the beginning of the building being built that window has been manned,” Phyllis Loftis, city and court clerk, said. “We fought closing it as long as we could; we kept trying to save it. It’s really going to be an inconvenience for some but we had to do it.”
Several factors led to the closing of the window, including the economic downturn and difficulty with staffing issues, as well as the introduction of several other payment options.
Although the window will close Friday, the employee currently assisting customers with bill payments will not be without work, Loftis said.
“We can’t rehire right now but we can do re-shifting,” she said. “Our water window guy will be a meter reader starting Monday.”
Loftis said that at the utility department, the “highest dollar amount received comes in through the mail.” However, she said the window has its fair share of business too.
“It’s always pretty steady,” she said. “If there’s a cut off that day, you’ll see more people coming to the window, but it varies.”
Loftis said she sympathizes with many of the customers who have grown accustomed to using the window on a regular basis for several years.
“I feel bad for the elderly,” she said. “They really like to hand the money to someone, and sometimes it’s hard for them to get out of their vehicles.”
For those who want to continue paying their bills in-person, Loftis said there will be two customer service windows inside.
Customers also may appreciate the addition of at least two 15-minute reserved parking spots, designated for utility bill payment parking only, on the east side of City Hall. And the night drop also will continue to be available for those who do not want to go inside to pay their bills.
Other payment options are auto draft, with applications and more information available for print on the city’s Web site; online payment; phone payment, with use of credit card; postal mail; the 24-hour night drop; or walk-in options.
The current building, in which the utility department and the drive-thru payment window are located, was built about 1971 to replace the old City Hall structure that was badly damaged by a tornado that hit downtown Shawnee Oct. 5, 1970. The current building is located on the same site — at Ninth and Broadway streets — as was the original building, which was constructed in 1905.
For now, no date has been set for reopening the window and it is possible it will remain closed for good.
“I would hesitate to give a prediction on its reopening or if there will be one,” Loftis said.
For more information regarding bill payment online, through auto draft or by other means, visit www.shawneeok.org/utilities.
In addition, utility customers may visit www.shawneeok.org/payments for online and auto draft billing. A $1.25 fee is charged to customers who use the online billing method.
“The Utility Billing/Customer Service Web site link may also be used to download new customer application forms, bank draft request forms and landlord 30-day water requests forms,” Loftis said. “Customers interested in tracking their water usage may also use this link to view their billing information, payment history, chart water usage and calculate bills.”
Customers also may call 878-1560 for additional information or may speak with a utility department employee in-person by visiting City Hall, 16 W. Ninth, and entering through the northeast side of the building.
“The city of Shawnee regrets any inconvenience this closure may cause,” Loftis said. “The city is confident that the redistribution of staff into areas of greater need will be beneficial to all of our citizens. It is our hope that with the support of our citizens, these tough economic times will soon turn around.”
———
Johnna Ray may be reached at 214-3934.
