925.05 RATES, WATER SALES AND FIRE PROTECTION.

   (a)    Effective January 1, 2012, and each year thereafter, the rate for water usage shall be increased adjusted by a percentage equal to the percentage increase charged the City by Portage County under the terms of the Water Service Agreement between the City of Aurora and the County of Portage plus an amount sufficient to cover the net projected operating costs of the water department. The base charges for 2012, are as follows:

 

	Minimum Charge 700 cu. ft. or less	per 1,000 cu. ft.
January 1, 2012	$34.80	$47.81

   (b)    Rate for fire protection services are based on the size of the service connection or meter as follows:

Quarterly Rates for Fire Service

Size of Line or Meter in Inches	Metered Gross	Service Net	Unmetered Gross	Service Net
2	4.78	4.32	15.76	14.30
3	6.24	5.72	25.17	22.88
4	9.36	8.58	31.46	28.60
6	14.25	12.90	47.22	42.90
8	23.61	21.48	78.68	71.50
10	39.31	35.78	110.14	100.10
12	55.12	50.08	180.18	164.32

 

   (c)    All residential customer meters shall be read and invoiced quarterly. Commercial and industrial customers shall be read and invoiced monthly or quarterly as directed by the Director of Engineering, Utilities and Inspection. All unpaid invoices within thirty days from the date of invoicing shall be considered delinquent and a penalty of ten percent (10%) shall be added thereto and collected.

   (d)   When water bills or charges are not paid when due, the Director of Engineering, Utilities and Inspection shall notify the Director of Finance, who may do either or both of the following:

      (1)    Certify them, together with any penalties, to the County Auditor, who shall place the certified amount on the real property tax list and duplicate against the property served by the connection. The amount certified shall be a lien on the property served from the date placed on the list and duplicate and shall be collected in the same manner as other taxes, except that, notwithstanding Ohio R.C. 323.15, a County Treasurer shall accept a payment in such unpaid water rents or charges and associated penalties. The lien shall be released immediately upon payment in full of the certified amount. Unless the Director determines that a transfer of the property is about to occur, the Director may only make a certification under this division if the rents or charges have been due and unpaid for at least sixty days and the Director or other official or body has provided the owner of the property with written notice of the impending certification at least thirty days prior to the certification.

      (2)    Collect them by actions at law, in the name of the City from an owner, tenant or other person who is liable to pay the rents or charges. The Director of Finance is hereby authorized to collect outstanding charges from any landowner whose tenant has not paid these charges within ninety days of their receipt.

         A.    The Director of Engineering, Utilities and Inspection shall determine the actual amount of rents due based upon an actual reading of each customer's meter at least once in each three-month period, and at least quarterly the Director or other official or body shall render a bill for the actual amount shown by the meter reading to be due, except estimated bills may be rendered if access to a customer's meter was unobtainable for a timely reading. The Director of Engineering, Utilities and Inspection shall establish procedures providing fair and reasonable opportunity for resolution of billing disputes.

         B.   When property to which water service is provided is about to be sold, any party to the sale or his agent may request the Director of Engineering, Utilities and Inspection to read the meter at that property and to render within ten days following the date on which the request is made, a final bill for outstanding rents and charges for water service. Such a request shall be made at least fourteen days prior to the transfer of the title of such property.

         C.    At any time prior to certification under subsection (a) of this section, the Director of other official shall accept any partial payment of unpaid water rents or charges, in the amount of ten dollars ($10.00) or more.
(Ord. 2012-146. Passed 1-17-12.)