(a) The Winfield Sanitary Board shall require all customers of the sewer system to make an initial deposit upon application for services as a guarantee of the payment for sewer service used. Such deposit shall be 1/6 of the average annual usage of the applicants’ specific customer class or fifty dollars ($50.00) whichever is greater. Sewer service shall not be established until these conditions are fulfilled and the Board may refuse service if the guarantee is not given when required. For all owners, said deposit shall be held for twelve consecutive months, and at the end of such time the Board shall promptly and automatically refund the deposit plus accrued interest at the rate as calculated in accordance with 4.2.1c of the Rules and Regulations for the Government of Sewer Utilities, Public Service Commission of West Virginia and be paid from the date of deposit until refund date. Calculation of the above twelve months period shall commence from the first regular payment or following the payment of a past due bill or bills. The board shall have a reasonable time, not to exceed thirty (30) days, to ascertain that the obligations of the customers have been fully performed before being required to return any deposit in the case where there has not been an automatic refund. If the customer is a tenant then the refund of the deposit shall not be made until such customer discontinues service.
(Ord. 2014-2015-3. Passed 3-24-15.)
(b) Record of Deposit. The Board shall keep a record showing cash deposits:
(1) The name and current address of each depositor;
(2) The amount and date of the deposit; and
(3) Each transaction concerning the deposit.
(c) The Receipt. Concurrently with receiving a cash deposit, the Board shall deliver to the applicant for service or customer, a receipt showing: the date thereof, the name of the applicant or customer and the address of the premises to be served or served, the service to be furnished or furnished, and the amount of the deposit and the rate of interest to be paid thereon. The Board shall provide automatic means to refund the deposit of a customer, when he is so entitled, if the original receipt cannot be produced. A receipt of proof or payment will not be necessary under the provisions for an automatic refund.
(Ord. 2003-04-05. Passed 8-10-05.)
(d) Fees for Termination and Reconnection of Water Service for Non-Payment of Sewer Bills.
(1) Disconnection Fee. Whenever water service has been disconnected solely due to non-payment of sewer bill(s), a disconnection fee of $20.00 shall be charged.
(2) Reconnection Fee. Whenever water service which has been previously disconnected solely due to non-payment of sewer bill(s) is reconnected, a $20.00 reconnection fee shall be charged.
(Ord. 2014-2015-3. Passed 3-24-15.)
(Ord. 2014-2015-3. Passed 3-24-15.)
(e) Unclaimed Deposits. Should the Board have retained, through no fault of its own, deposits made by customers to whom service has been discontinued during any calendar year, it shall, on or before the first day of March, of each year, mail to the customer’s last known address a check, as refund of the deposit plus accrued interest, or at the Board’s option, publish a list of such depositors, in a newspaper published and of general circulation in each of the counties it operates and in which the deposits were made, showing as of the thirty-first day of December immediately preceding, the amount of each such deposit, together with accrued interest, are being held to their credit and will be returned upon request. The Board shall not be liable for any interest on such deposit after publication of such lists. Upon the completion of the above procedure, the deposit shall be considered as derelict property subject to recovery by the State of West Virginia under the provisions of Chapter 34, Article 2, Section 1 of the Code of West Virginia.
(Ord. 2003-04-05. Passed 8-10-05.)
(Ord. 2003-04-05. Passed 8-10-05.)