(A) Deposits. Persons requesting the Electric, Gas, Water or Wastewater Departments of the City of Linton to provide services to a residence or business, whether the residence is owner occupied or not, and whether the commercial business is owner operated or not, shall pay the following deposits:
Residential | Commercial | ||
Electric All Electric Gas Water Wastewater | $140 $300 $160 $30 $40 | Electric All Electric Gas Water Wastewater | $350 $590 $240 $40 $50 |
Industrial: Two times the average of the previous active 12 months’ charges, rounded to the nearest $100, at the service address for each service. If the service is new at the address, the 12 months’ charges will be estimated, based upon the type and size of the customer as compared to similar types and sized customers. Deposits are subject to periodic review, after which the deposit may be adjusted according to the most recent 12 months’ charges. | |||
(1) Deposit reduced in half for an acceptable credit history. The deposit shall be reduced in half if the customer provides written confirmation from his or her preceding utility company (the Linton Municipal Utilities shall be considered a preceding utility company) going back two years, showing the customer has established an acceptable credit history (for definition, see division (A)(4) below).
(2) Deposit waived for multiple locations. Should a current utility customer request utility services be connected at MULTIPLE LOCATIONS (defined as more than one location), the deposit shall be waived as long as the customer has established an acceptable credit history and has signed the letter of liability with the Utility Office. Should a customer with utility services at multiple locations establish a negative credit history (for definition, see division (A)(5) below) on any one or more accounts, deposits shall be required on all accounts where the deposits were previously waived.
(3) No interest will be paid. Interest will not be paid on any part of the deposit.
(4) Acceptable credit history defined. Having an ACCEPTABLE CREDIT HISTORY is hereby defined as follows;
(a) Has been a customer of a preceding utility company during the past two years.
(b) Is not past due on any bill by the previous or current utility company.
(c) Within the past year, did not have more than one bill that was delinquent to any utility company.
(d) Within the past two years, did not have a service disconnected by any utility company for non-payment of a bill for services rendered by the utility company.
(5) Negative credit history defined. Having a NEGATIVE CREDIT HISTORY is hereby defined as follows:
(a) Having been past due on more than one occurrence, on any account, during the preceding 12-month period; and/or
(b) Having any service disconnected as a result of non-payment during the preceding 24-month period.
(B) Connection charges.
(1) Any person requesting the Electric, Gas or Water Departments of the City of Linton to establish service for any of the above utilities shall pay a connection charge shall pay a connection charge according to the following: $20 if the meters are required to be physically turned on; or $15 for transfer/read and leave on only.
(2) Money to be collected as other utility billings.
(C) Reconnection charges.
(1) Any customer requesting the Electric, Gas or Water Departments of the City of Linton to re-establish service of the utilities, after the service has been disconnected for nonpayment of bills, shall pay a reconnect charge of $25 during regular business hours, and $75 after hours.
(2) Under certain circumstances, a disconnection of service may require a physical disconnection of service lines or removal of meters. Under these circumstances, a customer shall pay a reconnect charge of $50 during regular business hours, and $100 after hours.
(3) Any customer disconnected for nonpayment of bills a second time during a 12-MONTH PERIOD (being defined as the previous 12 months, up to and including the date of the second disconnection) shall pay a deposit as set out in division (A) herein.
(D) Service calls. All persons requesting service calls to be made by the Electric, Gas or Water Departments of the City of Linton, made for the convenience of the customer and not for repair or maintenance of city equipment (that which runs to and includes the meter) shall be charged at the rate of $20 per call during regular business hours, and $40 after regular business hours.
(E) Refund of deposits. Deposits made by any person for electric, gas, water or wastewater service, as set out in division (A) herein, shall be held for a minimum of 24 months.
(1) Deposits will be applied to the customer's final bill, after which the balance, if any, will be refunded.
(2) Any balance due after application of the deposit shall be due and payable on or before the date specified on the final bill.
(3) If a given utility has a deposit balance remaining after that utility's charges have been satisfied, such balance shall be applied to other utility charges not so satisfied before any amount of the deposit is refunded.
(4) Deposits may be refunded after 24 months, if requested, provided the customer does not currently have a negative credit history (for definition, see division (A)(5)).
(F) Unclaimed electric, gas, water and wastewater utility deposits.
(1)
I.C. 36-9-23-28 exempts unclaimed meter deposits required by a municipally owned electric, gas, water or wastewater utility from the requirements of the Unclaimed Property Act.
(2) A deposit under this section that has remained unclaimed by the depositor for more than seven years after the termination of the services for which the deposit was made, becomes the property of the municipality.
(G) This section shall be in full force and effect from the date of its passage and approval by the Mayor and Common Council.
(Ord. 2007-11, passed 12-10-2007)