South Beloit council approves outsourcing utility‑bill mailing to Infosend to save roughly $15,000 a year

Council approved a master services agreement with Infosend Inc. that will outsource printing, stuffing and mailing of utility bills while maintaining a lease for the postage machine. Staff said the outsourcing would affect the envelope‑folding/stuffing machine and would save the city approximately $15,000 per year in postage and labor costs.

Staff described operational benefits including fewer machine jams, less staff time spent troubleshooting and the ability to add targeted mail flags through the city’s Tyler system so notices or flyers can be sent to specific ZIP codes or to only in‑city residents. Staff also noted the vendor operates out of Carol Stream and that logistics for transporting mail to the post office will change under the agreement.

Council members asked about electronic billing options; staff confirmed residents can elect email/PDF bills and the system can accommodate many addresses per account to support landlords and property managers. The council moved and approved the agreement during the Jan. 5 meeting.