(A) The tampering with gas meters (including but not limited to turning on and off gas service) by persons other than the Augusta Maintenance Department Personnel or their written designees is hereby prohibited within the city limits.
(B) That the account holder of the gas service associated with the tampered meter shall be responsible for preventing their meter from being tampered with and shall be the party held responsible and accountable for the penalty provided for herein.
(C) A civil citation for violation of this section shall be made to account holders of the gas service associated with the tampered meter, by the Police Department upon written advice of the Supervisor of the Maintenance Department that a violation has occurred, and such citation shall impose the applicable penalty as set forth below.
(D) Such civil citations shall be served upon account holders of the gas service associated with the tampered meter by a member of the Police Department, with the serving member being responsible to retain a copy of the original of the served civil citation. Such serving member shall note on the retained civil citation in writing the date and party upon which the citation was served.
(E) Any account holder of the gas service associated with the tampered meter for the first offense and each subsequent offense shall be subject, for the offense hereof, to the imposition of a civil penalty of $250.
(F) If such penalty is not paid within 20 days of the date of service of the citation, such civil penalty shall be recoverable by the city in a civil action in the nature of the debt collection, and such violator shall then also be required to pay to the city all court costs, all expenses and all fees incurred by the city in recovering such civil penalty.
(Ord. 2004-17, passed 4-21-04)