The following billing and collection information applies:
(a) Method of Billing. The monthly charges shall be billed on a monthly basis and shall appear on the utility bill rendered by the City for water as a separate item and shall be considered an integral part of such bill. The charges shall be payable by the due date specified on the Billing Statement. Failure to remit the entire amount of the charges for all services shall constitute a delinquency, with terminations of all services to take place in accordance with the provisions of the City. All checks returned from financial institutions for non-sufficient funds shall be subject the customer to a charge of ten dollars ($10.00) for the returned check.
(b) Delinquencies. Delinquent charges may be certified to the County Auditor and placed on the real property tax list and duplicate against the property served by the water connection. All accounts certified to the County Auditor for collection shall be subject to a certification charge of ten percent (10%) of the delinquent amount which shall be added to the amount certified. The total charge shall be a lien on the property from the date it is placed on the real estate tax list and duplicate by the Auditor and shall be collected in the same manner as other taxes.
(c) Billing of Owners of Property not Served by Other Ashland Utilities. Owners of all property not served by any other City utility shall be billed on a semi-annual basis as a Stormwater Management Utility fee. All bills for fees established herein become due and payable in accordance with the rules and regulations of the City, which shall include the billing charge for users supplied with City water service.
(d) Billing Disputes and Adjustments. The Director of Finance shall have the authority to make final determinations regarding billing disputes and to make legitimate billing adjustments based upon reasonable standards adopted in accordance with Stormwater Management Utility rules and regulations established herein.
(e) The Stormwater Management Utility service charge and fee revenues shall be assigned and dedicated solely to the Stormwater Management Enterprise Fund in the City budget and accounting system, which shall be and remain separate from other funds, and shall be used only to fund identified Stormwater Management Program activities. The service charges and fees paid to and collected by virtue of the provisions of this ordinance shall not be used for general or other governmental or proprietary purposes of the City, except to pay for costs incurred by the City in rendering services associated with the Stormwater Management Utility.
(Ord. 5-06. Passed 1-17-06.)