Mesquite residents looking to pay their utility bills in person need to mind the ticking clock—starting May 6, the City of Mesquite's Utility Billing Division will be trimming its customer service windows to a tight 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule on weekdays, bucking the trend of round-the-clock public access and putting night owls at a disadvantage, officials announced in a regulation update last month.
In a bid to streamline operations and cut the fat from the municipal utility system, the city is also overhauling its cash handling policies; come May, cash payers will have to round off to the nearest dollar—or let their pennies roll over as a credit on next month's bill, according to the City of Mesquite, Texas.
It's not all tightening belts and constriction for consumers, though, the division is casting a wider net offering more options to settle dues—from round-the-clock online payments to dropping a check in the mail, and those with a taste for convenience can leverage the 24/7 automated phone system or trust their financial fate to the reliable rhythms of automatic withdrawals via MesquitePay.
Responding to the times, the city has inked a partnership with the retail titan Walmart, allowing customers to dash over to the local big-box and pay down their bills—all without the clinking of loose change, no fuss, no muss, and the utility cashiers, it seems, will be all the happier for it; this move comes as no surprise in an era where the sound of coins has become somewhat anachronistic, and the city's efficiency crusade has offices snipping off every spare, cumbersome second wherever possible.
A full rundown of the new policies is up for grabs at the city's Utility Billing webpage for Mesquite's money-minders seeking alternatives to the classic in-person transaction, ensuring no resident is left in the dark—or without water, for that matter.
