(A) The city shall have the right to terminate any utility service for nonpayment of utility charges. The city shall have the right to terminate water service for nonpayment of sewer charges. The city shall not terminate utility service after 12:00 p.m. on a Friday, during a weekend or after 12:00 p.m. on the day before a federal or state holiday.
(B) (1) Prior to termination of utility service, the city shall give notice to the occupant of the premises by regular mailing such notice to the address of the premises.
(2) If the occupant is not the owner of the premises, the city shall also give notice to the owner by mailing such notice to the billing address as provided in § 50.04. The notice shall state that service will be terminated unless the utility charges are paid in full within ten days from the date of the notice of termination.
(C) A customer or occupant of the premises who questions or disputes a utility bill shall file with the City Manager a request for a hearing within seven days after the date of the notice of termination.
(D) If a hearing is timely requested, and the matter has not been informally resolved by the City Administrator, the City Council shall hold a hearing, consider the evidence offered by the customer or occupant of the premises and the City Administrator and determine whether the utility charges are correct, due and payable. The customer or occupant may have an attorney or other representative present at the hearing.
(E) The City Council shall make its determination in writing and shall by certified mail send a copy of its determination to the occupant and to the customer at the billing address provided in § 50.04, if the occupant is not the owner of the premises.
(F) If a hearing is timely requested, the city shall not terminate utility service until three days after the date of mailing its determination. If a hearing is not timely requested, the city may terminate utility service 15 days after the date of the notice of termination.
(Prior Code, § 50.06) (Ord. 261, passed 5-8-1979; Ord. 393, passed 12-8-2003)