(a) The Sharing Fund is hereby established to assist utility customers who are unable to pay their utility bills and so as to reduce loss and increase revenue in the utility funds.
(b) The Sharing Fund shall be established and shall operate upon a charitable/donative principle whereby those who are willing and able will donate $1 per month to be added to the Sharing Fund.
(c) Any and all moneys generated as a result of the Sharing Fund as well as any other donations received for the same purpose shall be deposited in a separate fund which shall be called the "City of Shelby's The Sharing Fund" (Sharing Fund), and the fund is hereby so established and created.
(d) All moneys deposited in the city Sharing Fund shall be utilized to assist needy and deserving city utility customers with the payment of their city utility bills.
(e) The city may seek and engage the services of charitable and/or nonprofit organizations to assist city officers and/or employees in determining how and when disbursements are to be made from the Sharing Fund. The Director of Public Service is hereby authorized to promulgate such rules as are necessary to implement this section.
(f) Any city utility customer that does not desire to participate in the City of Shelby Sharing Fund charitable/donative program shall have the right to opt out of the program and the method of opting out shall be available at any time to any customer during his or her usage of and payment for Shelby utilities. Further, all Shelby utility customers shall be advised of the existence of the Sharing Fund and the method of participating or opting out.
(g) The Sharing Fund program shall begin during the first billing cycle following the effective date of this section.
(Ord. 26-2009, passed 9-8-2009)