(A) All natural gas customers of the city shall be charged a deposit in the amount of three hundred dollars ($300.00) for residential service, one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00) for residential service with only gas wall heater, gas logs, gas cook stove, etc. and an amount equal to projected two (2) month usage for commercial service, at the time request for service is made to the utility system. This deposit will be collected from both renters and home owners, and will be required on any request for hookup to the natural gas system.
(B) At the end of a period of two (2) years of satisfactory payment of all utility bills presented to the customer by the utility system, the utility system will return and refund to the customer in good standing the total natural gas deposit set forth in division (A) above, together with interest at the rate of six (6) percent per annum from date of receipt of the deposit until such deposit is refunded. If the customer during the two-year period has not been current on utility bills presented by the utility system, then no refund will be due until service to that customer is discontinued, at which time the deposit will be applied to the outstanding utility bill, with any surplus being paid over to the customer without interest, and any deficiency being a continued obligation due and payable by the customer to the utility system.
(C) Any customer who has been a customer of the natural gas system for less than two (2) years at the time of passage of this ordinance, and who has paid less than the deposits set forth in division (A) above shall pay to the city upon moving to any new natural gas service such amount as is necessary to make the total deposit equal to the deposit now required. At the end of two (2) years from the date such additional payment is made, and upon satisfactory credit history and bill payment to the utility system, such customer will be refunded the deposit with interest as provided above.
(D) (1) The city, based on previous good credit elsewhere, may allow a residential gas customer to pay the three hundred dollar ($300.00) deposit required herein over time as follows: one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00) upon opening the account, with one (1) one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00) billing immediately following opening of the account.
(2) Utility deposits paid from the above schedule are refundable to the customer based on good credit history with the city for a period of twenty-four (24) monthly billings, and if the deposit is not needed to credit against the customer’s billing. Deposits made prior to December 31, 2023 shall bear interest at one percent (1%) per annum, and will be refunded with the said interest within thirty (30) days after the twenty-four (24) monthly billings and no credit problems. Deposits made after January 1, 2024, shall not bear interest.
(Ord. 1-84-3, passed 1-16-84; Am. Ord. 6-99-6, passed 6-14-99; Am. Ord. 7-99-2, passed - - ; Am. Ord. 1-09-1, passed 1-19-09; Am. Ord. 4-19-1, passed 4-8-19; Am. Ord. 2-21-1, passed 2-8-21; Am. Ord. 10-23-3, passed 10-9-23)