Hyde Park staff previews new billing software and a May 2 community service day; Utah Trail Crew offered free trail work

City staff told council members March 25 that the current billing system requires extensive manual entry and creates time-consuming reconciliation work for office staff. Marcus said staff is preparing a proposal to replace the current vendor (Secure Instant Payments) with Express Bill Pay, which would integrate with the city’s other software and allow residents to sign up and pay online more easily. The proposed subscription was discussed as roughly $2,600 per month, compared with the current $40.95 monthly cost, though staff emphasized potential savings in staff time and improved customer experience.

"We pay a whopping $40 a month for our software… but it eats up so much time," Marcus said, arguing an integrated vendor could eliminate hours of double entry and reduce human error. Staff will return to the next council meeting with the full contract proposal and cost/benefit details for a formal vote.

On volunteer service, the council discussed establishing a designated citywide service day instead of recurring weekly events; members recommended early May and targeted May 2 as the date to push volunteer projects and outreach. Council asked staff to collect and prioritize project lists and coordinate public‑works support.

Councilmember Tiffany reported a state group, Utah Trail Crew, has offered to build an identified hiking and mountain‑bike trail connecting to Sheridan’s Veil and the Bonneville Short Line at no financial cost to the city, but the group needs a formal letter of permission and some coordination for heavier equipment. Council asked staff to draft an agenda item and letter for the next meeting to authorize the work.