(a) Upon a bill becoming delinquent, a fourteen (14) day Notice of Intended Termination of Service shall be sent by mail to the service address and/or the customer mailing address, if different. If the customer is a tenant, a copy of said Notice shall also be sent by mail to the owner of the premises. Such Notice shall indicate that the service is being terminated for nonpayment, the date after which service will be terminated, and the appeal rights afforded to any person affected by the Termination Notice by which such person may contest such termination.
(b) The customer and/or the property owner may appeal the decision to terminate service or to deny an application for service to the Safety-Service Director and/or his/her designee by contacting the City of Galion Municipal Utilities Office at least one full business day before the date stated on the Notice of Intended Termination as the termination date. The appeal rights of the customer and/or the property owner shall consist of a face-to-face meeting with the Safety-Service Director and/or his/her designee, or if the appellant prefers, a telephone meeting at which the matter shall be discussed. Persons exercising these appeal rights shall be entitled to reasonable access to City records concerning the affected service address and may request copies of such documents at the requestor's copy expense.
(c) The Safety Service Director and/or his/her designee is empowered, when good cause is shown, to compromise or adjust bills, to negotiate and compromise payment disputes, to enter into payment plans as authorized below, and to cancel or postpone termination of service. An appeal on a decision to terminate service shall cause such termination to be stayed until the appeal has been determined. If that determination upholds the initial decision to terminate, the person appealing shall be provided with a new termination date to which no appeal rights shall apply.
(d) The consumer of the utilities is responsible for the payment of the utility bills; however, the property owner must notify the city when the rental unit becomes vacant. Failure to do so may result in the property owner being liable for utility bills incurred during the vacancy. The property owner may transfer utility bills to their name at any time without a required deposit provided they are currently in good financial standing with the City.
(Ord. 2020-23. Passed 4-14-20.)