Aberdeen moves to new merchant processor and fleet lessor to cut costs

The Aberdeen Town board voted to change the town’s merchant-services provider and approved a master services agreement intended to lower credit-card processing costs.

Staff said the town currently budgets about $161,000 for card processing and that switching providers would save “about a $153,000 per year based on budgeted cost,” according to the staff presentation. The board approved the motion to designate Amentis as the merchant account provider for sewer-billing collections and authorized the town manager or finance director to sign the master services agreement and related resolution (26-05).

Town staff also recommended replacing the police department’s commercial fleet lease with a new master lease from Jim Patterson Lease (JPL). The recommendation said the change would reduce costs by about $115 per vehicle per month; for three vehicles that figures to roughly $20,000 in savings over five years. Commissioner (S3) moved to approve JPL as the master lease provider and to authorize signatures; the motion passed.

The presentations noted a transition period for merchant processing that could take several months to implement and that staff would coordinate customer notices. The board additionally authorized staff signatures on the merchant master services agreement so contracts can be finalized and implemented.

The board did not set an implementation date in the meeting; staff said installation and transition work could continue into September or October and that customers might see only minor changes to their payments, while most adjustments would be internal.