In addition to the penalty provided in § 10.99, any electric meter found to have been tampered with or bypassed, having the capability of being circumvented, or with an illegal connection present, shall be presumed conclusively to have been in such condition for six months prior to its discovery by the city. The owner of the premises serviced by a meter which has been bypassed or circumvented, or having the capability of being circumvented, shall be assessed and charged an amount double the electric usage of any comparable premises in six months. This charge shall be billed subsequent to discovery of the bypass or circumvention and shall also be recorded as a lien against the premises and certified and spread on the tax rolls. For the purposes of this chapter, a comparable premises in the case of a dwelling house shall be one with an equal number of adults and children, if said information is available; otherwise the average usage for a similar size dwelling should be used. For other types of premises, a comparable premises shall be a similar establishment, i.e. a church, office, store, and the like. Any residence or structure found in violation of this chapter shall be subject to immediate utility disconnect and shall not be reconnected to the utility supply until all bills, penalties, reconnection charges, and deposits have been paid.
(Ord. passed 1-10-2019)