Electric service will not be established or reestablished until the provisions of this subchapter, including the following, are complied with:
(A) Electrical service will not be established or reestablished for any present or former customer, whether or not such customer remains a resident of the premises previously receiving electrical service, until such customer shall do either of the following:
(1) Pay in full all unpaid electrical bills owed the city by the customer, together with interest thereon; or
(2) Enter into financial agreements with and acceptable to the city, for the payment thereof.
(B) Electrical service will not be established for any new applicant for such service at a premises where the electricity supply has been shut off for nonpayment and where the former nonpaying customer is an occupant or resident, until and unless the requirements of division (A) regarding payment in full or acceptable financial agreements are satisfied.
(C) The city shall be authorized to discontinue electric service to any building, dwelling, residence, or premises in which any person is residing who owes an outstanding bill for electrical service at that premise or any other premise located in the city and for which payment has not been made or financial arrangements have not been made and which charges have not been previously discharged in bankruptcy.
(D) (1) No person, firm, business or other entity, having had electric service to its premise cutoff for nonpayment of an electric bill shall reestablish electric service by any of the following means:
(a) By use of a portable generator;
(b) By use of an electric extension cord or cords extended to another source of electric power;
(c) By use of a altered, stolen, or tampered electric meter;
(d) By tampering with the existing meter;
(e) By use of any other physical equipment, device, or contraption; including without limitation solar panels; or
(f) By use of any means not specifically authorized in writing by the City’s electric department.
(2) No person firm, business, or other entity having had electric service shut off to its premises for nonpayment of an electric bill shall receive or acquire electricity while said electric charges to the City remain unpaid and outstanding by any of the following means:
(a) By use of a portable generator;
(b) By use of an electric extension cord or cords extended to another source of electric power;
(c) By use of an altered, stolen, or tampered electric meter;
(d) By tampering with the existing meter;
(e) By use of any other physical equipment, device, or contraption; including without limitation solar panels; or
(f) By use of any means not specifically authorized in writing by the City’s electric department.
(3) Any law enforcement official who either witnesses or is advised by the city’s electric department of a violation either provision division (D)(1) or (D) (2) of this section may issue a No Court Appearance Required citation for violation of said divisions. Such citation shall require the payment of a fine only in the amount of $100, if paid within 30 days in the Office of the City Clerk. In the event any person, firm, business, or other entity issued a No Court Appearance Required citation for violation of divisions (D)(1) or (D) (2) of this section, fails to pay the above fine within 30 days, a law enforcement officer shall issue such person, firm, business or other entity a notice to appear requiring a court appearance for such violation. Any person convicted of violating either division (D)(1) or (D)(2) of this section following a court appearance shall be fined $250 plus court costs.
(4) No person, firm, business, or entity found to in violation of either division (D)(1) or division (D)(2) of this section shall have electricity restored to their premises until all outstanding charges for electricity together with reinstatement fees have been paid in full and all fines and court costs, if applicable, imposed under this Section have been paid in full. No payment arrangements or other financial arrangements as provided in this section shall be made with any person, firm, business or other entity found to be in violation of either division (D)(1) or (D)(2) of this section. No person, firm, business, or entity found to be in violation of either division (D)(1) or (D)(2) of this section shall be entitled to receive electric service at any other premises located within or without the City of Metropolis from the City of Metropolis Electric System until all outstanding invoices for electric services, all reinstatement fees and all fines and court costs, if applicable, have been paid in full as well.
(Ord. 81-7, passed 7-27-1981; Am. Ord. 89-11, passed 7-24-1989; Am. Ord. 2008-23, passed 10-15-2008; Am. Ord. 2008-32, passed 11-24-2008; Am. Ord. 2012-02, passed 3-26-2012; Am. Ord. 2016-14, passed 9-12-2016) Penalty, see §
10.99