(A) The city shall endeavor to collect delinquent accounts promptly. In any case, where satisfactory arrangements for payment have not been made, the Public Maintenance Supervisor may, after the procedural requirements of division (B) below have been complied with, discontinue service to the delinquent customer by shutting off the water at the stop box. When water service to any premises has been discontinued, service shall not be restored except upon the payment of all delinquent amounts due plus a fee of $25 to cover city costs for the disconnection and reconnection. The City Administrative Clerk/Treasurer shall prepare an assessment roll each year providing for assessment of the delinquent amounts against the respective properties served. The assessment roll shall be delivered to the Council for adoption on or before October 1 of each year for certification to the county for collection along with taxes. The action is optional and may be subsequent to taking legal action to collect delinquent accounts.
(B) Water shall not be shut off pursuant to division (A) above until notice and an opportunity for a hearing have first been given the occupant of the premises involved. The notice shall be sent by mail or personally served to the customer occupying the premises and shall state that if payment is not made before a day stated in the notice but not less than 15 days after the postmark of the notice, or 20 days during that part of the year covered by the state’s Cold Weather Rule regarding shutoffs, the water supply to the premises will be shut off. In the case of rental property, a copy of the notice shall also be mailed to the owner of the property. The notice shall also state that the customer (or in the case of rental property, the owner) may, before the date, demand a hearing on the matter, in which case the supply will not be cut off until after the hearing is held. If the customer or property owner requests a hearing before the date specified, a hearing shall be held on the matter by the City Council at least 1 week after the date on which the request is made. If, as a result of the hearing, the City Council finds that the amount claimed to be owing is actually due and unpaid and there is no legal reason why the water supply of the delinquent customer may not be shut off in accordance with this chapter, an employee of the city may be directed to shut off the water supply.
(Ord. 107, passed 7-3-1995; Am. Ord. 126, passed 11-2-2009)