(A) If any bill, for any product of service of the city's utilities, is not paid within the specified time frame, a late charge, in the amount of five percent shall be imposed on the current month unpaid arrearage.
(B) If a bill for any utility account is not paid within 20 days after a late charge has accrued thereon, it shall be deemed a delinquent bill. The Director of Service or his designee shall have the authority to disconnect any or all public utility services to the Consumer from whom a delinquent bill is due. An administrative charge of $25 shall be applied to all utility accounts that have a disconnect work order issued for the account at any given time.
(C) The Director of Service may issue one utility disconnect 30 day time extension when temporary circumstances such as unemployment, extended illness, death in the family, an abnormally high medical expense, or other extraneous issues warrant such extension as approved by the Director of Service. Only one such time extension will be granted per account in any calendar year.
(D) Payment made shall be applied first to late charges, then to arrearages.
(E) Returned check charge. In addition to adding late payment charges as appropriate, the city shall charge and collect a fee of $35 to cover the cost of handling a check which a consumer tenders in payment of an account and which is returned by the bank because it cannot be paid as ordered.
(Ord. 8588, passed 11-12-02; Am. Ord. 9180, passed 7-12-05; Am. Ord. 2012-107, passed 12-11-12)