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Minnetrista council weighs outsourcing monthly utility billing, directs staff to study in‑house options
Summary
At its May 4 meeting the Minnetrista City Council discussed a three‑year master services agreement with Infosend to handle monthly utility bill printing and mailing, heard staff cost estimates, raised concerns about staff capacity, and directed staff to return May 18 with in‑house equipment and cost alternatives while launching outreach to boost paperless enrollment.
At its May 4, 2026 regular meeting, the Minnetrista City Council discussed a proposal to outsource monthly utility bill printing and mailing and directed staff to return May 18 with cost comparisons and options to implement additional outreach to encourage paperless billing.
City Administrator Jasper Kugel presented a master services agreement with vendor Infosend and said the change is tied to the council’s decision to move from quarterly to monthly billing beginning with July usage. "The estimate for the total per year for all of the accounts to be sent, so that's 30,000 mailings a year, is estimated at $25,000," Kugel said during the presentation, noting postage is a major component of the price.
Mayor Lisa Whalen clarified the city’s incremental cost picture: "It's not 25,000. It's an additional 7,000," she said, distinguishing the new outsourcing charge above existing postage and printing costs. Council and staff discussed specific line items: postage for bulk mail runs about 59¢ per letter, adding an extra page to a mailing was quoted at about 29¢ per mailing, and staff estimated outsourcing would equate to roughly a 26¢ per account increase per mailing compared with current postcard mailings, excluding staff time and equipment costs.
Multiple council members asked whether the city could instead purchase folding and envelope‑inserting equipment and process monthly mailings in‑house. Kugel said the department that currently handles quarterly postcards lacks the staff capacity to take on monthly preparation without additional resources and warned of the risk of overburdening employees. He offered to have finance staff run a detailed cost/feasibility analysis and to confirm whether vendor pricing would change if fewer households opt into mailed bills.
Council members urged two parallel tracks: begin an outreach push (Facebook/email and website notices) to encourage residents to enroll in paperless billing, and have staff research in‑house equipment costs, envelope/paper pricing and staffing implications. The council asked staff to ask Infosend about trial arrangements and quantity discounts, and to return to the council on May 18 with options and dollar figures. Kugel said the first billed month would reflect July usage and the first mailed statement would likely be sent before Aug. 1 and be due Aug. 19, so the council needs a direction by June 1 to meet timing.
Votes at a glance: The council approved the revised meeting agenda (which added a settlement agreement involving 1205 and 1195 Sunnyfield Road North) and later approved the full consent agenda by roll call; both votes were recorded in the meeting as carried by those present. The meeting concluded after a unanimous vote to adjourn.
What’s next: Staff will return May 18 with a written comparison of outsourcing vs. in‑house options and with suggested outreach steps to increase paperless enrollment before the city’s planned billing change.
