(a) A water bill customer objecting to the actions, policies or decisions of the director with regard to a fee for a pay bag, violation bag tag, brush or bulky waste collection may informally appeal to the director of environmental management, or the designee, in person, or by telephone, to attempt a resolution administratively. An appeal must be initiated by the water bill customer within ten business days from the issuance of the water bill.
(b) If a resolution cannot be obtained by an informal appeal, then that customer shall be advised in writing by regular mail, of the his or her right to a formal appeal hearing pursuant to this subsection (b). Such notice shall be sent to the name on the water bill account and to the billing address of the account. Such notice shall indicate:
(1) The steps the customer must take to initiate the formal appeal hearing;
(2) Whether failure to initiate the formal appeal within three days of the date of the notice will result in termination of water service to the account in question; and
(3) A copy of the rules for the formal hearing.
(c) A request for a formal appeal hearing before the designated hearing officer will not be granted when the customer’s only complaint regards:
(1) The determination of reasonableness or the denial of a deferred payment by the director of the water department;
(2) The customer’s financial inability to pay for services rendered, and there is no dispute as to the accuracy of the billing or the customer’s liability; or
(3) The design, application and fairness of the rate schedule established by the city council.
(Ord. 16189, § 15, passed 10-26-2004)
Editor’s note:
Prior to inclusion of Ord. 16189, § 12.5-842.1 pertained to commercial garbage collection fees and was repealed by § 4 of Ord. 16188, adopted October 26, 2004. See also the Code Comparative Table.