(a) A customer who receives a bill for utility services provided by the Municipality is entitled to contest any utility service charges or any orders of employees of the Water and Sewer Department in a public hearing before the Public Utilities Committee of Council. Such hearing may be requested verbally or in writing through the Utilities Clerk or Administrative Director or the chairman of the Public Utilities Committee. The date of such hearing shall be within ten days of the request and the customer shall be notified at least five days prior to the date and time of the hearing.
(b) At the hearing, the petitioner has the right to be represented by legal counsel, may call witnesses to testify on his/her behalf, question employees of the Municipality, present evidence to support his/her claims and request any information on file regarding his/her account. The petitioner or his/her legal counsel may make copies of any account records at the cost of the copies.
(c) The Municipality, represented by the Law Director and the Administrative Director may call witnesses, provide evidence and documents in support of its claims and has the right to question any witnesses provided by the petitioner.
(d) All testimony provided shall be sworn testimony provided under oath. The Clerk of Council shall record all statements and other documents provided as evidence and shall make the recording of this meeting available to the petitioner as well as the Municipality.
(e) The decision of the Public Utilities Committee shall be final. There shall be no further appeal except to the Court of Common Pleas as provided by Ohio R.C. Chapter 2506.
(f) The decision of the Public Utilities Committee shall be enforced and implemented by the Administrative Director and the Water Department.
(g) The decision of the Public Utilities Committee shall be based solely on evidence and testimony presented at the hearing and shall state the rules and evidence relied upon to reach that decision. A copy of that decision shall be served upon the petitioner within three working days after the date of the hearing.
(1980 Code 51.35)