(A) Rate. Accounts shall be charged a rate in accordance with the rate schedule found in § 53.065 of this code or as such may hereinafter be amended and revised by the city and may be included separately or in conjunction with the monthly water bill.
(B) Monthly statement. The Clerk shall furnish to each property owner, landlord, tenant or agent, a monthly statement of the amount due for sewer service for that month. The failure of any service user to receive notice or statement will in no way affect the obligation of the user to remit monthly as required.
(C) Initial billing. The initial billing for premises occupied less than one month shall be charged only for that portion of the month during which the premises were occupied.
(D) Deposit required.
(1) Each owner, tenant or lessee of property, before utility services are furnished, shall pay a refundable deposit. The amount collected may be amended by resolution of the City Council.
(2) All such deposits shall be placed in a reserve account managed by the Treasurer/Finance Director.
(3) Refundable deposits may be transferred to another physical address on the city utility system if current bill is paid in full and upon written request from the owner, tenant or lessee of notice of transfer of the account to a different address.
(4) If city utility bills have been paid in full and on time for the last 12 consecutive months, a credit will be added to the account in the amount of the deposit.
(5) In the event that an account becomes into arrears for a period of longer than 60 days, the deposit will be applied to the amount in arrears. Before the service to the owner, tenant or lessee resumes, the amount in arrears must be paid in full and a new deposit shall be submitted to the city.
(6) Upon vacating the premises, the city will be notified immediately. The owner, tenant or lessee will, at that time, submit a written request, which shall be furnished by the city, for a refund and furnish a forwarding address. The refundable deposit will then be transferred to the appropriate Utility Fund of the city and credited to the account. The balance of the account, if any, shall be refunded to the person making the deposit, his or her heir or a personal representative within 30 days of the written request.
(7) No interest will be paid on funds to be returned. If such refund cannot be made within three months because of the unknown whereabouts of the person making the deposit, the balance of the deposit shall be placed in the appropriate utility fund.
(E) Waiver of payment. When any person determines his or her home, business and the like is destroyed and/or uninhabitable for an extended time due to circumstances beyond his control such as fire, flood, wind or some other act of God, he or she may apply in writing to the Utility Clerk for a waiver of payment of his or her city monthly water service fee and city monthly sewer fee. This waiver must be approved by the City Council. Approval is at the City Council’s discretion and is not automatic based upon the fact that a building is destroyed and/or uninhabitable. This waiver shall not exceed six months’ time period. The time period may be extended upon further application. Criteria to be considered by the City Council shall include:
(1) The cause of the damage;
(2) The extent of the damage;
(3) The property owner’s intent as to whether or not he or she plans to rebuild;
(4) Estimated time period to rebuild or repair damage; and
(5) City services are not available.
(Prior Code, § 8-4-27) (Ord. 92-554, passed 10-21-1992; Ord. 05-700, passed 10-5-2005; Ord. 15-811, passed 11-19-2015)