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Antioch staff outlines plan to limit credit‑card convenience fees; trustees ask for transaction breakdowns
Summary
Village director proposed rules to pass limited credit‑card convenience fees to users consistent with state law while excluding large‑dollar permits; trustees asked for transaction breakdowns and discussed incentives to enroll residents in autopay to avoid fees.
Village finance staff presented proposed rules and an ordinance to allow limited convenience fees on certain credit‑card transactions and recommended excluding large‑dollar charges from credit‑card acceptance.
Director Michael Peterson explained state law caps and examples (for instance, the lesser of $20 or 5% for permits under $400, and similar statutory limits for fines and other charges). He told trustees that some fees would be permitted to pass to users while the village would absorb charges on larger transactions; he also urged residents to enroll in auto‑payment to avoid fees.
Trustees asked for a transaction breakdown (the director said staff can provide the percentage and dollar totals by transaction type at the next meeting) and discussed implementation options such as offering a cash discount or an incentive to sign up for autopay. One trustee noted that web‑based transactions commonly include surcharges and that residents are unlikely to be deterred by modest convenience fees.
What’s next: Staff will return with transaction breakdowns and proposed rules that align with state law and card network rules for the board’s further consideration.
