Instructions on how not to moisten the flap appear on this envelope from Albany Utility Billing.
This may be a sign of our time, a time when people need instructions for the simplest things, including how to fasten the flap on the envelopes to pay utility bills.
On railroad platforms and firing ranges, it’s common to read warnings against stepping over the line. On utility enevelopes, I had not noticed anything similar before this month.
At Albany City Hall, Matt Harrington handles lots of public inquiries, and I asked him if he knew what prompted this warning against licking the envelope “beyond this line.”
He pointed out that Albany’s utility bills are printed and mailed by a third-party vendor that works for many jurisdictions. And he doubted that the instructions on the flap had been prompted by anything from Albany.
Still, he reported: “Our payment counter staff told me that on a fairly regular basis people will inadvertently return the envelopes with either additional glue or the flap folded in a way that causes the envelope to affix to the bill and/or check. When the envelopes are opened here, the bill and/or check is damaged to the point of making it unusable. As you can imagine this creates additional issues.”
So there is a good reason for what’s printed on the flap.
In case you’re interested (and even if you’re not), the city of Albany contracts with InfoSend Inc., of Anaheim, Calif., to produce and mail the city’s more than 20,000 monthly water and sewer bills.
The company emerged the winner in a competitive selection process, and the city council awarded it a five-year contract in May 2020. The total cost for the five years was quoted as $650,000.
Does anyone read what’s under the flap of bill-paying envelopes? Well, I did in this case, and it made for a story on a day when I had nothing else. (hh)
$650,000 to mail utility bills for 5 years!! Jesus H. (you know what my next word was going to be.) What has this world come to? No wonder every business wants you to do everything on your computer, even though that drives me, for one, crazy or crazier!!
I have a dispute with Consumer Cellular right now because, since I don’t do texting, I can’t open my bill from them online. Geesh! (I’m trying to use 1950s era exclamations, rather than using the Lord’s name in vain!)
Some years ago on the “truthful” TV I watched an expose of sorts about envelopes made in China. How ordinary sewer water was used in most cases to mix the glue for the flaps.. After that I used a wet patch of towel to moisten the flap. Hey, it’s my F.Y.I. for the masses! Of course we now have those sticky flaps you tear off a strip of paper and seal.
All this could be easily avoided if the City would just require it
Get the City’s subcontractor InfoSend up to speed.
“No moisture required” envelopes are commonplace.