E. Longmeadow residents use online payment option

eroman@repub.com
     Through UniPay, residents can pay their excise and property taxes online.
     EAST LONGMEADOW - It has been more than five months since the town began giving residents the option of paying their bills online and Town Clerk Thomas P. Florence said he is seeing an increased use of the service.
     "In May we sent out the first cycle of property taxes and quite a few people actually paid their bill online," Florence said.
     The town is working with UniBank, based in Whitinsville, Ma., to offer this online payment system called UniPay.
     "It allows people to pay their excise taxes, property taxes, dog licenses and a variety of other things online," Florence said.
     The system, which was officially installed in February, was requested by residents who said they did not want to mail their bills in and did not have time to drop the bills off at Town Hall.
     "I have actually gotten a lot of requests to include water and sewer bill payment on the system, since those are sent out quarterly," Florence said.
     The option to pay water and sewer bills online will not be active until September.
     "We are still working on the program so that it will serve the needs of our residents," Florence said.
     Residents who wish to use the system should log on to eastlongmeadowma.gov and click on the online payments section.
     Florence said that while residents will continue to receive all their bills through the mail, they can pay them online to save some time and a stamp.
     "It's also a good way to avoid late fees and other issues that come from not paying these bills on time," he said. "We are trying to make it a little easier and more convenient for people."