Residents soon will have a convenient way to get cash to pay their water bills or property taxes at City Hall.

The Watertown City Council agreed Monday night to place ATMs in City Hall and at the Alex T. Duffy Fairgrounds. Council members approved an agreement with B&S Business Systems, Gouverneur, to place an ATM in each of the two city-owned buildings. The city then will receive $1 of the $3 fee charged for each transaction.

B&S will be responsible for maintaining the machines and keeping them filled with cash.

Mayor Jeffrey E. Graham and Councilman Joseph M. Butler Jr. proposed that the ATMs would be convenient for customers paying bills or traffic fines at City Court. At the fairgrounds, people attending a concert, youth hockey game or garden show could get some fast cash by using an ATM.

“It’s one more thing we can do to be more consumer-friendly,” Mr. Graham said before voting for it.

The ATM will be placed in the lobby of City Hall, just opposite the elevator. The other one is slated to be placed in the municipal ice arena.

The machines will be revenue makers for the city, although the mayor was unable to say just how much.

In other action, the council:

■ Honored retiring City Police Chief Joseph J. Goss, who is leaving June 29 after serving in the position for the past six years and after a 30-year career with the department.

Council members gave Chief Goss a plaque and a First Citizen award. The police chief announced he was retiring in April.

An interim police chief will be named in early July.

■ Amended the contract with the Watertown Wizards summer collegiate baseball team to hold practices past 6 p.m. The team will pay the city $75 for those practices because the ball field’s lights will be used; it now pays the city $50 for practices held until that time.

■ Tabled a $15,000 request for funding to the Jefferson County Historical Society. It would be a $5,000 increase from the current funding amount.

■ Gave final approval for site plans for the 3,500-square-foot bank branch that AmeriCU plans to build at 871 Arsenal St., the site of the former Salvation Army store.

■ Set a public hearing for 7:30 p.m. July 2 to amend the zoning for 108 and 112 Flower Ave. E. from Residence C to neighborhood business district.

The change would allow businesswoman Hedy M. Cirrincione to create enough parking for a medical uniform and equipment store she wants to open at nearby 703 Washington St.

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