(A) Regular.
(1) Bills for service will be rendered monthly unless otherwise specified.
(2) The term "month", for billing purposes, will be the period between any two consecutive readings of the meters by the Gas Department, such readings to be taken as nearly as practicable every 30 days. All bills for service shall be computed in accordance with the provisions of the Gas Department's Rate Schedule effective at the time of rendering service.
(B) Budget payment plan.
(1) A budget payment plan is available to all qualifying customers. A budget payment plan may be established at any time of the year. The monthly budget amount shall be calculated by the Collector on the basis of the estimated consumption and estimated applicable rates through the end of the budget year (May 1 through April 30). Customers who have arrears shall not be allowed to establish a budget payment plan until their account has been without arrears for 12 consecutive months.
(2) An applicant for a budget plan shall be informed at the time of application that budget amounts shall be reviewed and changed every 12 months, if necessary, in order to reflect current circumstances. Adjustments to the budget amount will be made with the objective that the customer's under-billed or over-billed balance at the end of the budget year shall be less than one month's budget amount. Customers on the budget payment plan shall be notified of adjustments through either a bill insert or message on the bill. When an adjustment is made to a budget payment amount, the customer will be informed of the adjustment at the same time the bill containing the adjustment is rendered.
(3) At the end of a budget year, if an under-billed or over-billed balance exists in a customer's account, the balance shall be handled as follows:
(a) A customer's debit balance will be paid in full, or the monthly budget amount, whichever is greater.
(b) A customer's credit balance will be applied against the customer's account or, at the customer's option, a refund shall be made.
(4) If a budget payment is not paid, the customer shall be notified with the next billing that if proper payment is not received subsequent to this notification, the next regular billing may cause the removal of the customer from the budget plan and discontinuance of service.
(C) Estimated bill.
(1) In case any meter shall stop or for any reason fail to integrate properly, or upon failure to read the meter, the Collector may estimate the monthly bill for gas service. Whenever possible, estimated bills will be based on the same month of the prior year.
(2) The Gas Department will endeavor to make an actual reading of the customer's meter(s) at least every second billing period. A $25 service charge will apply if the customer does not allow the gas meter to be accessible after two consecutive billing periods in which an estimated bill has been rendered. The Collector may render an estimated bill for any billing period in which:
(a) The Gas Department has taken appropriate and reasonable measures to read the customer's meter(s).
(b) The customer has knowingly and willfully denied reasonable access to the Gas Department's representative for the purpose of taking an actual meter reading.
(c) The customer has otherwise made an actual meter(s) reading unnecessarily difficult.
(d) Circumstances beyond the Gas Department's control make an actual meter(s) reading extremely difficult.
(3) Only in unusual cases will more than two consecutive estimated bills be rendered.
(D) Billing for fractional month service. When a customer commences or discontinues service between regular monthly meter reading dates, the Collector will bill the customer as closely as possible to the date of disconnect.
(E) Failure to receive bill. Failure to receive a bill shall not excuse a customer from his or her obligation to pay within the time specified. Should the city be unable to bill a customer for service used during any month, the billing next made shall include the charges for services used during the unbilled month. A month shall be considered as that period of approximately 30 days.
(F) Consolidated bill; late payment penalty. Bills for all utility services, which presently include electric, gas, water and sewer services, and for garbage and refuse collection, shall be consolidated and mailed to all users of such services on or about the fifteenth day of each month following the month during which services were used. Full payment of all bills shall be due and payable on or before the fifth day of the next month. If a bill is not paid on or before said date, a penalty equal to 10% of the total amount due on the current total utility and garbage and refuse collection bill, exclusive of taxes, will be added thereto for each month or part thereof, commencing with the calendar month for which services were rendered and billed.
(Ord. 1214, passed 12-17-2001)