The following financial policies are hereby established for operation of the water and sewer systems:
(a) Water and sewer service charges and connection fees shall be fixed as provided herein so as to provide sufficient revenues to pay all the costs of the water and sewer systems, respectively, including, but not limited to, the following operating, maintenance and repair costs: capital outlays necessary for current and future operations generally benefiting all users; debt service, including principal and interest costs, legal and service fees; refunds; administrative and legal expenses; reasonable charges for the use of City property and facilities; the creation and maintenance of a reserve for emergencies equal to fifty percent of all of the most recent year's expenditures, except capital outlay, debt service and contribution to the reserve for emergencies, such reserve contributions to be in an annual amount sufficient to create the required reserve within five years of the effective date of this section; repayment of loans from other City funds; and maintenance of the reserve.
(b) Water and sewer service charges for service to premises outside the City shall be fixed as provided herein to be fifty percent greater than charges for such service to premises within the City.
(c) Minimum charges for water and sewer service shall be fixed as provided herein so as to provide sufficient revenues to pay the costs of the water and sewer systems, respectively, including the following: billing expenses; debt service, including principal and interest costs; refunds; reasonable charges for the use of City property and facilities; and a reserve for emergencies equal to fifty percent of all of the most recent year's expenditures, except capital outlay, debt service and contribution to the reserve for emergencies.
(d) Commodity charges for water and sewer service shall be fixed as provided herein so as to provide sufficient revenues to pay all the costs of the water and sewer systems, respectively, which are not included in the minimum charges as provided for herein.
(e) Adjusted commodity charges shall remain proportional, for the various quantities of water delivered, to commodity charges provided in base rates.
(f) Appropriations shall be made by Council to pay the costs of the water and sewer systems, including the costs enumerated in subsection (a) hereof, for each calendar year by March 31 of each year, but this section shall not be interpreted to limit Council's power to appropriate funds for these purposes at other times, provided, however, that such appropriations shall be sufficient to pay all such costs for each year as reasonably anticipated.
(g) Payments made for public services, including but not limited to water and sewer charges and connection fees, shall be deposited into the City Treasury. Payments made in the form of debit from a demand deposit account, including but not limited to a check, bill of exchange, draft, order of withdrawal, or electronic transaction, shall be considered negotiable immediately at the time such payment is made to the City. When such payment is deposited in the City Treasury and subsequently returned as non-negotiable for any reason, a service fee of thirty-five dollars ($35.00) shall be levied against the offending party. Full restitution of the non-negotiable payment, plus the service fee, shall be required within three business days after written notice is given to the offending party. If restitution is not made within three business days, the water supply may be disconnected. When any water supply has been disconnected because of the consumer's failure to make restitution as provided herein, the consumer shall pay thirty-five dollars ($35.00) as the fee for having the water supply reconnected. If reconnection is required outside of regular business hours, the reconnection fee shall be doubled.
(h) The cash balances of the water and sewer funds may be pooled together with the cash balances of the other various funds for investment purposes, provided that interest earned on such cash balances shall be proportionately returned to the water and sewer operating funds.
(Ord. 76-11. Passed 3-30-76; Ord. 06-15. Passed 12-12-06; Ord. 09-6. Passed 5-26-09; Ord. 10-16. Passed 12-14-10.)