(a) Generally. Solid waste removal and recycling service billings and invoices shall be rendered and collected approximately monthly. The Board shall make and enforce such bylaws and regulations as may be deemed necessary for the regulation, collection, rebating and refunding of the charges prescribed by this Article.
(b) Tenants may be billed: right of owners to examine records. The charges may be billed to the tenants occupying the residential unit, unless otherwise instructed in writing by the person who owns the residential unit. Such billings shall in no way relieve the owner of the residential unit of liability in the event payment is not made as herein required. The owners of the residential unit served, which are occupied by tenants, shall have the right to examine the collection records of the City for the purpose of determining whether such charges have been paid by such tenants; provided that such examination shall be made at the office at which the records are kept and during the hours that such office is open for business.
(c) How delinquencies arise. Charges for solid waste removal and recycling service levied pursuant to this Article shall be due and payable on or before the due dates shown on the bills. Any service charge not paid by the due date (approximately 18 days after the bill is rendered) shall be considered delinquent. Delinquent solid waste charges together with costs and other expenses of collection may be collected by any lawful remedy, including, where applicable, the placing of and foreclosure of liens on real estate as provided by state law.
(d) Application of rates and charges. Rates and charges established hereunder are payable by the owner of each residential unit.
(e) Collection or deferred payment charge; attorney fees and other collection costs.
(1) All payments for water and/or sewer service must be received in the office of the Carmel Utilities Department within 18 days from the billing date stated on the bill. Customers who are habitually late with their payments, more than three times in any calendar year, may be required to make a $27 deposit, to be applied for all or part payment of a bill not paid by said customer, or have their water and/or solid waste service discontinued. If the total amount of the deposit is not used, the remainder of the deposit will be refunded to the customer after their service has been discontinued.
(2) Failure of a customer to make timely payment shall subject the user to a late charge of 10%.
(3) Submission of any delinquent account to any attorney for collection shall entitle the City to recover reasonable attorney's fees, expenses incurred by the City in the collection process, and court costs, if any.
(4) Delinquent accounts may be collected through Carmel City Court and the complaint filed by an attorney or a City appointed employee as allowed by statute.
(f) Evidence of bill mailing. The printout sheet from the computer, so far as the City is concerned, is proof of mailing of the utility bills, and if the customer claims not to have received a bill then the late charge will stand as a part of his bill if the printout sheet indicates a bill was mailed.
(g) Disconnection for non-payment; returned checks.
(1) Water service shall be disconnected from those water customers of the Carmel City Utilities who fail to pay the accrued fees and late charges within 60 days of billing. The service cannot be continued until all fees are paid, including a $43 disconnect fee. The water service can only be reconnected by a Carmel Water Utility employee.
(2) If the City receives a check for payment of water and/or solid waste bill, and said check is returned for insufficient funds, the City may assess a fee of $33 in addition to all other applicable charges, and water service may be disconnected or new water service may be denied on other properties until the account is brought current. Cash, cashier's check, or money order will be required to pay all such charges.
(h) Deposits applied to delinquent charges.
(1) In the event rates and charges for solid waste service are not paid, the deposit will be forfeited and applied toward such delinquent rates and charges as occur, and the solid waste service will be discontinued.
(i) General penalties; continuing violations. The commission of any act prohibited by this Article or by lawful order of the supervisor of the Division of Solid Waste or lawful order or regulation of the Board, or the failure to perform without lawful justification any lawful order of the supervisor of the Division of Solid Waste or lawful order or regulation of the Board shall be a punishable violation of this Article for which, unless there is another specific penalty provided, the penalty shall be a fine of not less than $100 or more than $500. In the case of disposal of hazardous discharges into the sewerage system in violation of this Article or any valid order of regulation of the Board each day of violation constitutes a separate offense.
(j) Payments by credit card or other authorized payment method.
(1) The Utilities Department is authorized to accept payments for its water and sewer services by credit card or any other method authorized under I.C., 36-1-8-11, including cash, check, bank draft, money order, bank card or electronic funds transfer ("authorized payment method") under and pursuant to the procedures set forth in I.C., 36-1-8-11, as the same may be amended from time to time.
(2) If there is a charge to the Utilities Department for the use of credit card or other authorized payment method to make such payments, the Utilities Department may collect a sum equal to the amount of the charge from the person using the credit card or other authorized payment method.
(3) The Utilities Department shall apply the same uniform procedures for all payments made by credit card or other authorized payment method.
(k) Rates and charges. Customers shall pay the rates and charges per month as follows:
2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
$11.18 | $11.51 | $11.85 | $12.20 | $12.56 | $12.93 | $13.31 |
(l) Public inspection of schedule of rates and charges. A copy of the schedule of rates and charges shall be kept on file and available for public inspection in the office of the Board.
(Ord. D-2030-11, As Amended, 7-18- 11; Ord. D-2053-11, As Amended, 9-6- 11; Ord. D-2336-16, 12-5-16)