Loading...
(A) It is the policy of the town to interrupt utility services to a customer, or premises, by reason of nonpayment of the charges incurred for any billing period. An interruption in service may also be made for any other reason, but only after adequate notice has been given to the customer that charges are due and owing to the town, and a meaningful opportunity has been afforded to the customer to be heard on any disputed bill or other issue.
(B) Bills for charges and services related to the municipal utilities shall normally be rendered monthly, and shall be mailed to the person who applied for service to the subject premises, unless service has been transferred into the name of another person upon proper request therefor, and approved by the town.
(C) It shall be the responsibility of any person receiving a utility service from the town to keep the town advised of a current address where notices and bills, rendered in connection with the provision of utility service, may be mailed.
(D) Town utility bills shall contain, in addition to the title, address and telephone number of the town official in charge of utility billing, clearly visible and easily readable provisions to the effect that:
(1) All bills are due and payable upon receipt, and are considered past due on the fifteenth day of the month;
(2) Any customer who fails to remit payment by the twenty-sixth day of each month for charges incurred during the billing period shall incur late penalties as set forth, and amended from time to time, by the Town Council. In the event the twenty-sixth day of the month falls on a weekend or holiday, late penalties shall be applied on the next working day;
(3) All bills shall clearly include a statement that utility services will be interrupted for nonpayment if the charges incurred during the billing period are not remitted to the town on, or before, the last day of the month. In the event payment is not remitted before the last day of the month, reconnect fees, as set forth and amended from time to time by the Town Council, will be applied to the customer’s bill. In the event the final day of the month falls on a Friday, weekend, or day preceding, or during, a holiday, the customer shall have until the next working day. All delinquent charges, late fees, and reconnect fees must be paid in full before utility services are restored by the town;
(4) All bills shall clearly include a statement that a second notice will not be required prior to the interruption of services;
(5) Utility services that have been interrupted will not be reconnected after normal business hours of the town, on weekends, or during town holidays; and
(6) 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 counselor any other person of his or her choosing, and may present orally, or in writing, his or her complaint and contentions to the town official in charge of utility billing who shall be authorized to order that the customer’s service not be interrupted, and shall have authority to make a final determination of the customer’s complaint. All appeals must be submitted to the town on, or before, the twenty-fifth day of the month for which the bill is due.
(E) 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 interrupted at the time specified.
(Ord. 12-79, passed 11-5-1979; Ord. 5-86, passed 2-17-1986; Ord. 8-2005, passed 3-21-2005; Ord. 2-2008, passed 1-07-2008)
Bills for special services, or expenses, incurred in connection with the provision of a utility service, including, but not limited to, such things as connection fees, cut-off fees, reconnection fees, surcharges, testing fees, inspection fees, and the like, may be rendered at such times as may be convenient by separate bill, or on the customer’s regular bill for service. Special bills are due, and payable, upon receipt, and are otherwise subject to the same provisions of this article as regular bills.
(Ord. 5-86, passed 2-17-1986)
(A) Customers may make payment for utility service and related charges to the town at Town Hall, either in person or by mail. Payment may be made by cash, check, or money order, or online.
(B) Checks which are returned to the town after being dishonored shall be subject to a returned check fee equal to the maximum allowed by law, and the returned check service fee may be added to the customer’s utility bill.
(C) The town reserves the right to require payments in the form of cash or money order when a customer remits a check that is returned for non-sufficient funds. (See § 21-501(D).)
(Ord. 5-86, passed 2-17-1986; Ord. 8-2005, passed 3-21-2005)
(A) Except as provided in subsection (E) below, any violation of this article shall subject the offender to a civil penalty in the amount of $50. Violators shall be issued a written citation which must be paid within 72 hours from the time it is issued and served.
(B) Each day’s continuing violation shall be a separate, and distinct, offense.
(C) Notwithstanding subsection (A) above, provisions of this article may be enforced through equitable remedies issued by a court of competent jurisdiction.
(D) In addition to, or in lieu of, remedies authorized in subsections (A) and (C) above, violations of this article may be prosecuted as a misdemeanor in accordance with G.S. § 14-4.
(E) In accordance with G.S. § 160A-314(b) through (d), the town shall have the power to collect delinquent accounts by any remedy provided by law for collection, and enforcing, private debts, but it shall not have the authority to seek to collect on delinquent accounts through the assessment of civil penalties.
(Ord. 5-86, passed 2-17-1986)
Loading...