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The city of Grand Coulee is about to take a big step forward into the technology age.

Grand Coulee is moving forward on a plan to accept credit cards for the payment of utility bills. There’s a catch … the city will only accept credit card payments online.

City Clerk Carol Boyce presented the idea at the council meeting last Tuesday night, and the council gave its OK to move forward.

Currently, the city accepts checks, cash and money orders.

The city will be working with the firm GovPayNet, which will handle all of the transactions and cut the city a check. No fees will be charged to the city; they will be charged to the customers using their cards.

Boyce said she thought the system would be set up around May. Then utility users can use their cards.

However, you won’t be able to wander into city hall, whip out your credit card, and pay your utility bill. Credit cards will be accepted for utility bill payment only when you pay online. Details on how customers can pay online will be provided when the feature beomes available.

The entire transaction then will be between the city’s utility customer and GovPayNet, which will add a service charge of about $5-7 to utility customers paying by credit card.

Boyce explained to the council that the city will not lose any money because the credit card charge fee will be paid by the customer.