§ 52.30 SEWER BILL COLLECTION POLICY.
   (A)   Mail. Bills and notices relating to the conduct of the business of the municipality will be mailed to the customer at the address listed on the application, unless a change of address has been filed in writing at the business office of the municipality; and the municipality shall not otherwise be responsible for delivery of any bill or notice, nor will the customer be excused from non-payment of a bill or from any performances required in said notice.
   (B)   Combination of bills. Bills for sewer service shall be combined with bills for water service. Bills are payable at the business office of the municipality (208 North Williams Street, 399-4011). Bills will be sent out monthly for most commercial and industrial accounts and bi-monthly for most residential accounts.
   (C)   Delinquent notice. If a delinquent notice is not paid when due, the water and/or sewer service to the user shall be subject to discontinuance, or other measures as state law will allow.
   (D)   Bill collection.
      (1)   Monthly billing.
         (a)   The bill is sent out on the last working day of the month.
         (b)   The bill is due on or about the tenth day of the second month. The due date is given on the bill. If the bill is not paid on or by the due date, a 10% penalty is added.
         (c)   A second bill is sent out the last working day of the second month. On this second bill is included the arrears (unpaid and overdue debts) including the 10% penalty.
         (d)   The second bill is due on or about the tenth day of the third month. The due date is on the bill. If the second bill is not paid on or by the due date, a second 10% penalty is added.
         (e)   If the second bill plus the second 10% penalty has not been paid, a delinquent notice is sent out on or about the seventeenth day of the third month. The delinquent notice includes the second 10% penalty.
         (f)   The delinquent notice states that if their account is not settled by a specified date, the water will be shut off without further notice. The specified date, whenever possible, will be the last working day of the third month.
         (g)   If the property owner cannot make payment in full and would like to arrange a partial payment plan, he or she should do so after the delinquent notice has been sent out and before the delinquent notice due date.
         (h)   If the water has to be shut off, a $10 charge is made for making the trip to shut off the water even if the consumer pays the bill at the time the trip is made.
      (2)   Bi-monthly billing.
         (a)   The bill is sent out on the last working day of the month.
         (b)   The bill is due on or about the tenth day of the second month. The due date is given on the bill. If the bill is not paid on or by the due date, a 10% penalty is added.
         (c)   On the last working day of the second month an arrears bill is sent. Included on this is the 10% penalty.
         (d)   The arrears bill is due on or about the tenth day of the third month. The due date is on the bill. If the arrears bill is not paid on or by the due date a second 10% penalty is added.
         (e)   If the arrears bill plus the second 10% penalty has not been paid a delinquent notice is sent out on or about the seventeenth day of the third month. The delinquent notice includes the second 10% penalty.
         (f)   The delinquent notice states that, if their account is not settled by a specified date, the water will be shut off without further notice. The specified date, whenever possible, will be the last working day of the third month.
         (g)   If the property owner cannot make payment in full and would like to arrange a partial payment plan, he or she should do so after the delinquent notice has been sent out and before the delinquent notice due date.
         (h)   If the water has to be shut off, a $10 charge is made for making the trip to shut off the water even if the consumer pays the bill at the time the trip is made.
   (E)   Deposits. Where the water and/or sewer service supplied to a customer has been discontinued for non-payment of a delinquent bill, the municipality reserves the right to request a nominal sum be placed on deposit with the municipality for the purpose of establishing or maintaining any customer’s credit. The reconnection will not be made until after all delinquent bills and other charges, if any, owed by the customer to the municipality have been paid.
(Ord. 852-83, passed 2-7-1983)