Loading...
(A) Each new applicant for residential utility service shall be deemed creditworthy and shall not be required to make a cash deposit as a condition of receiving service if the applicant satisfies the following criteria:
(1) Applicant has been a customer of any utility within the last two years;
(2) Owes no outstanding bills for service rendered by any such utility;
(3) Did not have during the last 12 consecutive months that the service was provided, more than one delinquent bill to any utility or, if service has been rendered for a period of less than 12 months, has not had more than one delinquent bill in such period; and
(4) Within the last two years did not have a service disconnected for a utility for non-payment of a bill for services rendered by that utility.
(B) If the applicant fails to establish that he or she is creditworthy pursuant to the above criteria, the applicant may be required to make a cash deposit for each utility service. The deposits shall be as follows:
City Municipal Utilities Schedule of Deposits
Electric:
Residential:
Basic $100
All Electric $150
Commercial:
Single-Phase $200
Three-Phase $300
Water:
Residential: $50
Commercial:
Small Commercial User $100
(less than 50,000 gallons per month)
Large Commercial User $300
(more than 50,000 gallons per month )
(C) If the utility denies service or requires a cash deposit as a condition of providing service, then it must immediately send a written notice to the applicant stating the precise facts upon which it bases its decision and provide the applicant with an opportunity to rebut such facts and show other facts demonstrating his or her creditworthiness.
(Ord. 1989-7, passed 6-8-1989; Ord. 2008-17, passed 9-10-2008; Ord. 2019-25, passed on 5-13-2020)
(A) Any utility may require a present customer to make a cash deposit when the customer has been mailed disconnect notices for two consecutive months or any three months within the preceding 12-month period, or when the service has been disconnected pursuant to the rules for non-payment.
(B) The amount of such deposit shall be the same as in § 53.02(B).
(Ord. 1989-7, passed 6-8-1989; Ord. 2019-25, passed on 5-13-2020)
(A) Any deposit shall be refunded along with a statement accounting for each transaction involving the deposit, upon satisfactory payment by the customer for a period of 12 successive months.
(B) Following customer-requested termination of service, the utility shall apply the deposit to the final bill, or, upon specific request from the customer, the utility shall refund the deposit within 45 days after payment of the final bill.
(C) Each utility shall maintain a record of each applicant or customer making a deposit which shows:
(1) The name of the customer and social security number;
(2) The amount of the deposit;
(3) The date the deposit was made; and
(4) A record of each transaction affecting such deposit.
(D) Any deposit which has remained unclaimed for seven years after the utility has made diligent effort to locate the person who made such deposit or the heirs of such persons shall be presumed abandoned and treated in accordance with the laws of this state.
(E) A deposit may be used by the utility to cover any unpaid balance following disconnection of service provided, however, that any surplus be returned to the customer as provided above.
(F) Existing customers that have already made deposits will not be required to make additional deposits so long as they adhere to the utilities’ payment policies. Pursuant to the provisions of the prior customer deposit policy, accrued deposit interest will be computed through the date of enactment of this chapter and credited to each customer’s deposit record.
(Ord. 1989-7, passed 6-9-1989; Ord. 2019-25, passed on 5-13-2020)