A. Billing Periods: Bills ordinarily will be rendered regularly at monthly intervals, but may be rendered more frequently at the department's option. Nonreceipt of bills by the customer shall not release or diminish the obligation of the customer with respect to payment thereof.
B. Minimums: When a customer receives service for less than thirty (30) days during the billing period, the applicable monthly minimum shall apply.
C. Separate Billing For Each Point Of Delivery:
1. At each point of delivery, use of service shall be metered separately for each customer served. Whenever, for any reason, the department furnishes two (2) or more meter installations for a single customer or supplies service under a rate schedule which does not require a meter, each point of metering and/or point of delivery where no meter is required shall be considered as a separate service. A separate service agreement will be required, and bills will be separately calculated for each such separate service, except where the department may, under special circumstances, waive this requirement.
2. For service locations established prior to April 18, 1989, which have more than one meter and which were billed on a conjunctive meter basis under a common rate schedule, the department will continue to bill these locations on a conjunctive meter basis until said multiple meters can be combined into a single meter location.
D. Payment Of Bills: All charges due from the customer become delinquent if not paid on or before the due date set forth on the bill. Upon becoming delinquent, all unpaid balances will be assessed a late charge of five percent (5%). The customer shall pay any attorney fees and court costs incurred in the collection of past due bills. In addition the customer's service may be terminated as provided in the city's uniform utility billing ordinance.
E. Billing Dispute: In the event any portion of any bill is dispute, including questions relating to metering, the disputed amount shall be paid under protest when due. Said protest must be in written form and must be received by the department on or before the due date of the bill in question. The protest shall be referred to the city recorder or his or her designee for resolution. Upon their written determination of the amount due, the customer may appeal to the utilities commission. In the absence of such an appeal, the determination of the department and city recorder shall be final. If protest is not made as herein provided, no adjustment will be made.
F. Tax Adjustment Clause: In the event any governmental body shall impose a gross revenue, occupation, or franchise tax upon the city for power supplied, then the amount of such tax shall be billed to and paid by the customers receiving the power from the city.
G. Theft Of Service: In any case of tampering with a meter installation or interfering with the proper working thereof, or theft of service by any person, the customer shall be liable to immediate discontinuance of service as provided herein, and the department shall be entitled to collect from the customer at the appropriate rate for all power and energy not recorded on the meter by reason of such tampering, interfering, or theft or service diversion, as such amount may be estimated by the department from the best available date. The customer shall also pay all expenses, including attorney fees and court costs, incurred by the department in the collection of amounts due or in the remedying of any tampering, interfering, or theft. (Ord. 1989-1 § 1: prior code § 14-320)