(A) Any charges for utility service that are delinquent shall constitute a lien upon the premises served. The Village Administrator or his or her designee shall file with the County Recorder of Deeds a statement of lien claim. This statement shall contain a legal description of the premises served, the amount of the unpaid bill, and a notice that the village claims a lien for this amount as well as for all charges subsequent to the period covered by the bill. A copy of the statement of lien claim shall at the same time be mailed to the customer, and if the Village Administrator or his or her designee has notice that the customer is not the owner of the premises served, a copy of the statement of lien claim shall be mailed to the owner of the premises if the owner's address is then known to the Village Administrator or his or her designee. The failure of the Village Administrator or his or her designee to record the lien claim or to mail the notice, or the failure of the owner to receive the notice shall not affect the right to foreclose the lien for unpaid bills.
(B) Property subject to a lien for unpaid charges shall be sold for nonpayment of the same, and the proceeds of the sale shall be applied to pay the charges, after deducting costs therefor. The foreclosure shall be by action brought in the name of the village pursuant to 65 ILCS 5/11-139-8 in the same manner and with the same effect as in the foreclosure of mortgages on real estate. The Village Attorney is hereby authorized to institute these proceedings for the purpose of foreclosing the lien in the name of the village in any court having jurisdiction over such matters and may recover other costs and reasonable attorneys fees as may be incurred and as may be allowed by the court.
(Ord. 80-33, passed 12-16-80; Am. Ord. 16-15, passed 4-26-16)