(A) It is hereby made the duty of the Director of Finance or his or her designee to render bills for service and for all rates and charges in connection therewith and to collect all monies due thereon.
(B) (1) The rates or charges for service shall be payable bi-monthly depending upon the classification of service for which bills are rendered.
(2) The owner of the premises, the occupant thereof and the user of the service shall be jointly and severally liable to pay for the service to such premises and the service furnished to the premises by the village only upon the condition that the owner of the premises, occupant and user of the services are jointly and severally liable therefor to the village.
(3) All water bills are due and payable 21 days after being sent out.
(C) A 10% late penalty shall be assessed to the account if payment is not received prior to issuance of the next bill.
(D) A penalty sum established in the annual fee schedule for any check returned for non-sufficient funds shall be added to any bill to which attempted prior payment was made by the non-sufficient check. If there are two checks returned from the bank within a one-year time period, no further checks shall be accepted from the customer unless the checks are certified, until there is an acceptable payment history for a continuous one-year period.
(E) Whenever a bill for water service remains unpaid for three consecutive billing cycles for the bi-monthly service after it has been rendered it shall be deemed and is hereby declared delinquent, as provided by law. The Director of Finance or his or her designee may, in his or her discretion, send the unpaid invoices to a collection agency, proceed with water service termination, file with the county recorder of deeds a statement of lien claim or proceed with any other remedy available to the village under this code or state or federal law.
(F) Shut-off for nonpayment.
(1) If payment is not received by the due date of the bill, a late penalty fee as set forth in division (C) shall be assessed to the account at the time set forth in division (C). The customer shall have one more billing cycle to make payment on the past due amount. If the past due amount owed is not paid by the due date on the third billing statement, the Director of Finance or his or her designee is hereby authorized to notify, in writing, the owner of the premises, the occupant thereof and the user of the service that the delinquency exists and that service shall be disconnected without further notice. If a payment plan is required and obtained, the late fee shall be waived after successful repayment.
(2) The Director of Finance or his or her designee shall also cause a shutoff notice to be posted on the property.
(3) Ten days after the shut off notice has been posted, and payment not received, all applicable utility services shall be terminated.
(G) Upon the disconnection of any services, a charge should be as provided for in the village annual fee schedule shall be made for reconnecting the same after settlement of the delinquent account.
(H) Any person wishing to discontinue service shall give notice to the Director of Finance or his or her designee prior to the expiration of the time for which payment has been made or become due and remaining unpaid; otherwise, he or she shall be liable for the charge for the ensuing billing period.
(1981 Code, § 6.14) (Am. Ord. 02-02, passed 2-20-1995; Am. Ord. 07-19, passed 4-16-2007; Am. Ord. 22-29, passed 6-6-2022)