(A) Failure to pay; penalties; discontinue service. Upon failure of any customer to pay any part of a utility bill submitted by the city for any utility services pursuant to this section by the past due date which is printed on the bill, the following actions and penalties may result:
(1) A penalty of all amounts owing on a utility bill may be added to any utility bill which is not paid by the past due date printed on the bill;
(2) The authorized agents of the city may disconnect or discontinue any or all utility services to the customer after providing written notice to the customer of the intent of the city to disconnect or discontinue any or all of the utility services; and
(3) The authorized agents of the city, upon direction of the City Council, may discontinue to furnish water to any customer refusing or neglecting to pay all or any part of a utility bill submitted after providing written notice to the customer of the intent of the city to disconnect the water service.
(B) Reconnect service; requirements. If any utility service is discontinued or disconnected pursuant to this section, the city, or its agents, shall not reconnect or reestablish the service until the full amount of any outstanding utility service bill is paid, plus the penalty provided in this section, plus any applicable charges or expenses in reconnecting or reestablishing the service.
(C) Disconnection for late payment.
(1) It is the policy of the city to discontinue utility service to customers by reason of nonpayment of bills only after notice and a meaningful opportunity to be heard on disputed bills. The city’s form for application for utility service and all bills shall contain, in addition to the title, address, room number and telephone number of the official in charge of billing, clearly visible and easily readable provisions to the effect that:
(a) All bills are due and payable on or before the date set forth on the bill;
(b) If any bill is not paid by or before that date, a second bill will be mailed containing a cutoff notice that if the bill is not paid within ten days of the mailing of the second bill, service will be discontinued for nonpayment; and
(c) Any customer disputing the correctness of his or her bill shall have a right to a hearing at which time he or she may be represented in person and by counsel or any other person of his or her choosing and may present orally or in writing his or her complaint and contentions to the city official in charge of utility billing. This official shall be authorized to order that the customer’s service not be discontinued and shall have the authority to make a final determination of the customer’s complaint.
(2) Requests for delays or waiver of payment will not be entertained; only questions of proper and correct billing will be considered. In the absence of payment of the bill rendered or resort to the hearing procedure provided herein, service will be discontinued at the time specified, but in no event until the charges have been due and unpaid for at least 30 days.
(3) When it becomes necessary for the city to discontinue utility service to a customer for nonpayment of bills, service will be reinstated only after all bills for service then due have been paid, along with a turn-on charge in the sum of $30.
(Prior Code, § 8-1-2)