A. Statement Of Charges: The city utility billing clerk shall mail or cause to be mailed a statement of service charges to each user of water, storm sewer, sanitary sewer and garbage collection each month or at such other regular intervals as the city council shall direct. Said statement shall separately specify the amount of charges for water, storm sewer, sanitary sewer, and garbage service and shall also specify the date due and place wherein payments may be made.
B. Penalty: If any person neglects, fails or refuses to pay his charges for water, storm sewer, sanitary sewer or garbage on or before the specified due date, penalties shall be assessed against those charges thirty (30) days following the due date, in an amount established in the consolidated fee schedule. Additional penalties shall apply every thirty (30) days until: (1) water is shut off, or (2) any past due balances, together with all penalties and special expense fees associated with the city utility account, have been paid.
C. Shut-Off: If, within a period of thirty (30) days after the initial penalty in subsection (B) is assessed, payment for any past due balances, together with any penalty fees, has not been made, the city utility billing clerk shall notify the water supervisor to shut off all water service to the premises involved or to take other collection measures authorized by the city council. Before water service to said premises shall again be provided, any past due balances, together with all penalty and special expense fees that may be assessed, must have been paid.
D. Notice: Prior to the shutting off of water service, and during the thirty (30) day period subsequent to the assessment of the penalty fee, the city utility billing clerk shall first mail or cause to be delivered at least two (2) notices to the billing address of the customers in arrears advising them of their delinquency. One of such notices shall be a shutoff notice specifying the date the water is to be shut off for nonpayment and also specifying the customers' right to appeal such action to the city council.
E. Appeal: A customer may appeal a shutoff notice to the City Council by submitting a written appeal to the City Manager prior to the shutoff date. The appeal shall be placed on a subsequent city council agenda that is at least seven calendar days after the appeal is filed. An appeal to the City Council shall stay the shutoff while the matter is pending, but fees and penalties continue to accrue and are not stayed.
F. Collection Agency: The city utility billing clerk shall have the authority to utilize a collection agency on all accounts not collectible by the water shutoff method. When a collection agency is used, the cost of collection shall be added to the account balance in arrears. (Ord. 2006-22, 3-15-2006; amd. Ord. 2023-30, 6-6-2023)