(a) For both residential and commercial properties, the Village shall obtain actual
consumption amounts by reading utility service meters on a bi-monthly basis. Should conditions render the Village unable to read a meter in a given billing period, the Village will estimate consumption based on the historical usage data for that property, and will generate a utility bill based on the estimated usage so calculated. Charges for estimated consumption shall be adjusted on the next utility bill reflecting actual meter readings.
(b) The Village shall provide each customer a monthly billing detailing utility charges and consumption for the given billing period, with every other month being an estimated or actual reading subject to the preceding paragraph. The base charge shall be accessed at the beginning of each billing period.
(c) The billing period being for a utility bill received in any given month will ordinarily be that period from the fifteenth (15) of two (2) months prior to the fifteenth (15) of one (1) month prior.
(d) The Village Fiscal Officer shall:
(1) Schedule the statement mailing and payment dates for all accounts. Scheduled mailing dates shall be at least 14 days before due dates.
(2) Insure that utility bills shall be provided to customers at or near the beginning of each month, the terms of payment for all utility bills are: due and payable in full upon receipt.
(3) Insure that the water billing office is staffed and remains open for business, during posted hours Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays.
(e) Customers shall have the fourteen days to pay in full before a ten percent (10%) late charge is added to the amount due. An additional 0.0833% will be charged each month for which a past due bill is unpaid in full. If the fourteenth day of the month is a legal holiday, Saturday, or Sunday, the due date shall be extended to the next regular business day immediately following the holiday or weekend day.
(f) The Fiscal Officer is authorized to excuse penalties only where the Village utilities billing office is clearly at fault in the processing of bills or where the account has been improperly handled by the Village. No penalty will be excused for reasons of non-receipt of mailed bills due to improper handling by the mail service or incorrect address.
(g) Utility bills not paid in full by the beginning of the next billing period are deemed delinquent and will be subjected to the Delinquency Policy set forth in Section 937.06.
(h) The due date on a utility bill applies to current charges only and does not extend or otherwise alter any previous due date, notice, or agreement regarding past due charges for delinquent utility service. (Ord. 01-2010. Passed 4-1-10.)