City of Morganton to implement modernized billing system in March

The City of Morganton’s utility customers will navigate through a new billing system this March, an update intended to modernize the payment process through an online system.

The new software which is planned to go live on March 23, and is provided through a contract with Tyler Technologies Inc., is a web-based system with a customer payment portal that is fully self-service, according to an announcement from the city. Customers will be able to see payment history, usage history, and pay utility bills and/or tax payments through the system.

The annual fee for the system is $60,684, which is significantly less than the current system with Northstar Technologies, according to Jonelle Sigmon, public information officer for the city.

After the system is live and the portal is open in late March, customers will need to create a new account. The city’s business office will be closed to the public March 16-20 for Tyler Technologies Inc. to install the software. According to Finance Director Jessie Parris, it wasn’t possible to run both systems simultaneously through the transition.

During that time, there will be no due dates or penalties. Other areas within City Hall will remain open and available to customers.

The upgrade has been in the works since the spring of 2023 and comes 16 years after the city had its last major software update, according to Sigmon. The new system would have been implemented sooner, but plans were delayed due to reprioritization of projects post Hurricane Helene.

“It’s just a huge, huge project,” Sigmon said, adding that the set-up time with software companies is typically about two years. She did not reply to a question about whether other software is scheduled for upgrades.

“This upgrade is something that the city has been working on for a long time and we are excited that the time has come to implement it. Customers will see several different improvements within this new billing system that we hope will make their experience better than ever,” said Sally Sandy, Morganton’s city manager.