(A) Persons who wish to contest a denial of utility service or the city’s decision as to billing or a proposed disconnection of utility services (hereafter “the person”) shall be afforded a due process opportunity to contest the provider’s action or inaction prior to termination of service.
(B) Due process opportunity is the right to a face-to-face meeting with the City Manager, at which time a person may:
(1) Have the assistance of a representative; and
(2) May present documentary and/or oral information and/or the testimony of witnesses for the City Manager’s and utility office personnel consideration.
(C) These persons shall be entitled to reasonable access to the city’s business records or utility office employees concerning the affected service address in order to prepare for the meeting, which right of access includes the right to obtain copies of documents found therein upon payment of the actual cost of copying. The City Manager shall make a written decision after the hearing and give the reasons for the decision. A copy of the decision shall be delivered to the person, a copy shall be retained in a special decisions file and a copy retained in the business files kept by the city relating to any service address affected by the hearing.
(D) Due process hearings shall be held within a reasonable time after a verbal or written hearing request has been made, but will not be held so quickly as to deny the person an adequate opportunity to seek assistance or to prepare for the hearing, in light of the person’s circumstances. The hearing decision shall be sent to the person within a reasonable time after the hearing. If a hearing has been requested prior to actual disconnection of service, no disconnection may occur until five days after the hearing decision is delivered to the person who requested the hearing.
(Prior Code, § 5.03.24.01)