The city shall invoice on a monthly basis for sanitation services, fire protection services, storm water utility services, water utility services and sewage utility services in amounts set forth in Chapters 51 through 54 of this code. Services provided to each lot, parcel of real estate, or building which benefits from such services shall be billed on a combined statement, hereinafter referred to as the utility bill, which statement shall contain a breakdown of charges for each service and which statement shall contain a payment due date. The utility bill shall be invoiced to the owner at the billing address shown on the Adams County, Indiana property tax card, unless a different billing address is on file with the city. The owner of the lot, parcel of real estate, or building which benefits from utility or other included city services identified on the utility bill shall be liable to the city for such invoiced services, regardless of whether the property is occupied by the owner. The city, at the city's discretion, may allow such services to be billed to an occupant at the owner's and occupant's request, which requests shall be made on forms approved by the Board of Public Works and Safety and which forms shall be available through the city. Provided, however, in such case, the owner and occupant of a property shall remain jointly and severally liable to the city for any unpaid utility bills billed to an occupant, notwithstanding any lease or contract terms to the contrary. In the event payment of an invoice is not received in full before discontinuance or disconnection of a city service to a property, or in the event a request is made to transfer services to a successor owner, services shall not be restored to said property or transferred until such time as payment of all outstanding invoiced amounts, including reconnect fees, if any, have been paid in full. Liability shall follow the property, shall remain the liability of the current owner and shall become the joint and several liability of any successor owner if unpaid utility bills are not paid by the prior owner at the time record ownership is transferred to a successor owner. In addition, the city reserves the right to refuse to provide city services to a lot, parcel of real estate or building owned, in part or outright, or occupied by a person or legal entity which owes the city for city services provided to such person or legal entity at a different lot, parcel of real estate or building until such time as all outstanding amounts due to the city for such services are paid in full.
(Ord. 2018-15, passed 8-7-2018)