All natural gas furnished to any City gas customer shall be subject to a combination of variable and flat rates. Each gas customer shall pay a meter/facility fee in the fixed amount of $14.00 per month per meter. Gas rates shall be based upon a fixed distribution charge of $2.50 per 1,000 cubic feet (or part thereof) used by each customer, plus 102% of the actual cost incurred by the city for its purchase of gas, as set forth in title 13, "Schedule Of Fees", of this Code. Non-residents of the City will be billed a twice the rate of residents; provided however, that natural gas furnished to a customer for use on land that is: a) used for farming purposes, b) comprised of ten (10) acres or more, and c) located outside of the corporate limits of the City shall be charged the gas rate determined by the City for resident customers. In the event that such farmland subsequently is subdivided to be comprised of less than ten (10) acres, the gas rate for non-resident customers shall be applicable.
The natural gas rate shall be effective with the consumption beginning with meter readings for January 2020 gas usage, to be billed in February 2020, and shall continue from month to month until such time that the Corporate Authorities deem it appropriate to amend the rates by ordinance.
If any statement for natural gas service is not paid by the fifth day of the month following its date of rendition, the account shall be considered delinquent and a service charge of one and one-half percent (11/2%) for each month or fraction of a month (18 percent annual rate) shall be assessed on the outstanding amount due at the close of the fifth day of the month following the month during which the statement in question was rendered, excluding any service charges previously assessed thereon.
Any consumer refusing or neglecting to pay his statement for a period of thirty (30) days subsequent to its rendition shall be deprived of the use of gas and the City shall stop all gas supply to such consumer until such time that all past due statements are paid including all penalty charges. (Ord. 18/2018, 12-4-2018; amd. Ord. 50/2019, 1-6-2020)