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The Council shall have the power to fix, from time to time, such just and equitable rates as may be deemed advisable for supplying the inhabitants of the City and others with water; with electricity for light, heat and power; and with such other utility services as the City may provide.
The Council shall provide, by ordinance, for the collection of all public utility charges made by the City. With respect to water, the City shall have all the power granted to cities by Act 178 of the Public Acts of 1939, as amended. When any person or persons, or any firm or corporation, shall fail or refuse to pay to the City any sums due on utility bills, the service or services upon which such delinquency exists shall be shut off or discontinued and suit may be instituted by the City for the collection of the same in any court of competent jurisdiction.
Purchasers of services other than property owners shall be responsible for payment of services received and the Council shall provide adequate ordinances to safeguard timely collection of all charges and discontinuance of service in cases of potential jeopardy.
Any sums due the City on utility bills shall be charged against the real property on which the service was rendered, and, if delinquent for a period of six (6) months or more, shall be spread on the next regular City tax roll, and shall become a lien of the same character and effect and collectible in the same manner as the lien created by state, county, and school district taxes, until paid.
Separate accounts, distinct from other city accounts, shall be kept for each public utility owned or operated by the City in such manner as to show the true and complete financial results of such City ownership or operation, or both, including all assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses. They shall show as nearly as possible, the value of any service furnished to, or rendered by, any such public utility by or to any other city department. The Council shall annually cause a report to be made showing the financial results of such City ownership or operation, or both, which report shall give for each utility the information specified in this section, and such further information as the Council shall deem expedient. Such report shall be on file in the office of the Clerk for public inspection.
The City shall not sell, exchange, lease, or in any way lien or dispose of the property, easements, or other equipment, privilege, or asset belonging to and appertaining to any utility which it may acquire, unless and except the proposition for such purposes shall first have been submitted, at an election held for that purpose in the manner provided in this charter, to the electors of the City and approved by them by a three-fifths (3/5) majority vote of the electors voting thereon. All contracts, negotiations, licenses, grants, leases or other forms of transfer in violation of this provision shall be void and of no effect as against the City. The provisions of this section shall not, however, apply to the sale or exchange of any articles of equipment of any city-owned utility as are worn out or useless, or which could, with advantage to the service, be replaced by new and improved machinery or equipment.