Should the City Council desire to put into effect within the city a new rate schedule or new service regulation, or to change any existing rate schedule or service regulation, it shall file with the City Secretary the proposed new or changed rate schedules or regulations, not less than 90 days prior to the time it desires to make the same effective. At any time within the next 30 days, the public utility may make application to the City Council for a public hearing. At the hearing, both the public utility and the legal counsel representing the city shall be entitled to present evidence to show cause why the new rate schedule or new service regulation, or change in any existing rate schedule service regulation, should or should not be put into effect. At the hearing also, any interested citizen or citizens of the city may appear, either in person or by attorney, and present evidence to show cause why the new rate schedule or new service regulation, or change in the existing rate schedule or service regulation, should or should not be put into effect. The hearing shall be granted to the public utility as a matter of right; and it shall be set not less than 30 days, nor more than 45 days, from the date of the filing of the proposed new rate schedule or new service regulation, or change in any existing rate schedule or service regulation by the City Secretary. Notice of the proposed new rate schedule or new service regulation, or change in any existing rate schedule or service regulation shall be given to the public utility by the City Secretary, who shall send, by United States mail, a registered letter, containing a notice of the proposed changes, to the manager of the local office of the public utility or, if the public utility has no local office, to the general offices or headquarters of the public utility. The City Secretary shall cause to be published, for one time, in a newspaper of general circulation, located nearest to the city, a notice of the hearing, after the same has been set by the City Council, at least ten days prior to the date set for the hearing. At the conclusion of the hearing, the City Council may either approve, disapprove or modify the new rate schedule or new service regulation or change in any existing rate schedule or service regulation.
(Ord. 56-11, passed 2-22-1956)