(A) Penalties: A late payment penalty as set out in the fees and charges schedule shall be assessed on all accounts with a past due balance.
(B) Certification For Collection With Taxes: Unpaid charges on utility accounts shall not be certified to the county auditor until notice and an opportunity for a hearing have been provided to the owner of the premises involved. The notice shall be sent by first class mail and shall state that if payment is not made before the date for certification, the entire amount unpaid plus certification fees will be certified to the county auditor for collection as other taxes are collected. The notice shall also state that the owner may, before such certification date, attend a hearing on the matter to object to certification of unpaid utility charges.
(C) Payment: The owner of the property shall have the option of paying the balance due on the account until the date and time specified on the notice of the certification hearing. After the date and time specified on the notice of certification hearing, payments will still be accepted but will include certification fees as established in the fees and charges schedule.
(D) Hearing: A hearing shall be held on the matter by the city council. Property owners with unpaid utility charges shall have the opportunity to object to the certification of unpaid charges to be collected as taxes are collected. If, after the hearing, the city council finds that the amounts claimed as delinquent are actually due and unpaid and that there is no legal reason why the unpaid charges should not be certified for collection with taxes in accordance with this chapter, the city may certify the unpaid charges to the county auditor for collection as other taxes are collected.
(E) Options After Hearing: For each objected certification sustained, the property owner shall have the following options after the hearing:
1. To pay the delinquent amount listed on the preliminary roll within five (5) business days of the hearing date, but without additional certification fees as established in the fees and charges schedule.
2. To pay the certified charges as billed to them by Dakota County on their property tax statement with a collection term of one year.
(F) Collection: Six (6) business days after the hearing, the certified roll, minus any payments, shall be delivered to Dakota County for collection as other taxes are collected with interest at the rate set in the adopted rate schedule, accrued beginning on the date of the public hearing through December 31 of the following year and certification fees as provided for in the fees and charges schedule. (Ord. 013-659, 3-4-2013, eff. 4-1-2013)