(a) All current utility service charges must be paid in full by the twenty-fifth calendar day of the current billing month as defined in Section 939.04.
(b) Customers who are unable to meet their financial obligation for utility service resulting from temporary circumstances; such as unemployment, death in family, extended illness, or abnormally high medical expenses; are encouraged to seek appropriate financial institution or social service agency assistance in order to meet the requirements of their utility charges for the current period in order to avoid the delinquency deadline and service termination/shut-off proceedings.
(c) Individuals must provide written evidence and the City must verify by the twenty- fifth day of the current billing month that arrangements have been made between the customer and a bonafide social service agency or financial institution to meet the complete financial obligation of the current and any delinquent utility charges.
(d) Upon receipt of the written evidence and verification of payment assistance by the Utility Billing Office, the City shall extend the shut-off date for the given individual by an additional twenty calendar days. Individuals may seek not more than two payment assistance payment extensions in a calendar year.
(e) No extension will be granted based on personal credit or promises to pay by individual utility customers unless said arrangements are paid in full in cash by the final collection date of the current billing period (i.e. the twenty-fifth calendar day of the current billing month.)
(f) All payment assistance payment extensions must be placed in writing; signed by both the customer and City Service Director and filed with Utility Billing Office.
(g) Failure of the social service agency or financial institution to remit payment within twenty calendar days will subject the customer to proceedings under the Disconnection for Non- Payment/Shut-Off section of this ordinance.
(h) If the social service agency or financial institution cannot guarantee payment in full within the twenty-day time limit, written notice from the institution must accompany the application for payment assistance payment extension and explicitly state when payment will be remitted to the City.
(i) The City shall maintain and provide upon request by the customer a list of social service agencies and financial institutions for customers to contact if payment assistance is needed.
(j) Utility services that have already been disconnected for non-payment are not eligible for payment extensions. All charges associated with said accounts must be paid in full in cash prior to service reestablishment.
(k) Payment arrangements are limited only to those circumstances which are temporary and therefore as limited to two requests per calendar year.
(l) Continuing requests for payment arrangements will not be accepted. Once payment arrangement options as established above are exhausted, service termination for nonpayment/shut off procedures shall result.
(Ord. 11-03. Passed 6-2-03.)