(a) In order to pay the expenses of operating and maintaining the utility, to pay other costs of conducting and managing the utility, to make adequate provision for the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on and other fund requirements of the permanent bonds, (the Series 1985 bonds), the Series 1986 notes and any other bonds and notes which may be issued to retire such bonds and notes and to comply with any covenants made in respect of the issuance thereof, the rates and charges for the product and services of the municipal waterworks system of the Village for all users are hereby established as follows:
(Res. 18-86. Passed 9-30-86.)
(1) The water rates and charges effective with bills rendered on or after September 1, 2023 until otherwise provided shall be as follows:
Usage (Gallons) | Residential | Non-Residential |
First 2,000 | $24.20 (Minimum) | $28.41 (Minimum) |
Next 8,000 | 15.74/1,000 gal. | 22.53/1,000 gal. |
Next 90,000 | 13.89/1,000 gal. | 12.74/1,000 gal. |
Over 100,000 | 13.89/1,000 gal. | 6.14/1,000 gal. |
(Ord. 16-2023. Passed 8-28-23.)
(2) In no event shall the minimum monthly charge for a user be less than the rate listed above for the first 2,000 gallons of water or any lesser amount used. The utility’s distribution system tap-in and service line charge (inside corporation limits) shall be six hundred dollars ($600.00) for a three-quarter -inch pipe, plus time and materials or seven hundred dollars ($700.00) for a one-inch and over pipe, plus meter cost, time, and materials. The utility’s distribution system tap-in and service line charge (outside corporation limits) shall be nine hundred dollars ($900.00) for a three-quarter-inch pipe, plus time and materials or one thousand fifty dollars ($1,050.00) for a one- inch and over pipe, plus meter cost, time, and materials.
(Ord. 8-2015. Passed 8-10-15.)
(b) The rates and charges set forth in subsection (a) hereof are hereby established and the Village Administrator is hereby authorized to make and collect such rates and charges in accordance with the procedures set forth herein.
(Ord. 29-2010. Passed 11-22-10.)
(c) The funds received from the collection of the aforesaid rates and charges shall be deposited as received with the Fiscal Officer of the Village who shall keep the same in a separate fund designated as the "Waterworks Revenue Fund", subject to the provisions of any ordinance or indenture of mortgage authorizing the issuance of, and securing, mortgage revenue bonds of the utility. Subject to the provisions of any such ordinance or indenture of mortgage, moneys so deposited shall be used for the payment of the cost and expense of operation, maintenance, repair and management of the utility and for payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on and other charges on bonds and notes issued for improvement of, and extensions to, the utility, and any surplus in such Fund over and above the requirements hereinbefore mentioned may be used for enlargements of and replacements to, the utility and parts thereof or for any other lawful utility purpose.
(d) All meters shall be read monthly, and all users shall be billed not later than the fifteenth day of each month for their usage of water during the preceding calendar month. If access to a user's meter is unobtainable for a timely reading during a certain month, that user's usage during that month shall be estimated by the Village Works Administrator, based on the actual usage during the same calendar month in previous years or on the actual usage during previous months. Upon the request of any party to the transfer of title of property to which service is provided or his agent, made at least fourteen days prior to the transfer, the meter at that property shall be read and a final bill for all outstanding charges shall be rendered within ten days following such request. Upon the request of any user, the Village Works Administrator shall test the user's meter within ten days after such request.
(e) All bills shall be due and payable by the last day of the month during which the bill is rendered. If the bill is paid by the last day of the month during which it is rendered, payment of the "net bill", consisting of the billed charges, shall constitute payment in full. If the bill is not paid by the last day of the month during which it is rendered, payment of the "gross bill", consisting of the billed charges plus ten percent (10%) thereof, shall constitute payment in full. The ten percent (10%) penalty shall be added to the billed charges for a certain month only once and shall not be computed on the amount of any previous ten percent (10%) penalty. Prior to any certification of the amount of a gross bill to the County Auditor in accordance with subsection (g) hereof, any partial payment in the amount of ten dollars ($10.00) or more shall be accepted as a partial payment.
(f) Any user may request a meeting with the Village Works Administrator to dispute the amount of a bill within seven days after the bill is rendered. Such meeting shall be held within seven days after such request. If the dispute is not resolved, the user may request a hearing by the Board, provided that:
(1) The request is made within seven days after the meeting with the Village Works Administrator; and
(2) The disputed bill is paid in full prior to such request.
The hearing shall be held at the Board's next regularly scheduled meeting but in no event later than thirty days following the request therefor. If the Board determines that the amount of the disputed bill is to be reduced, the amount of such reduction shall be credited, first, against any outstanding bill of that user and, second, against the next bill rendered to that user.
(g) Any user who fails to pay a bill by the date the next bill is to be rendered, and who has so failed in the past on at least three separate occasions, shall be sent a shut-off notice with such succeeding bill. Any other user who fails to pay a bill by the date the second succeeding bill is to be rendered shall be sent a shut-off notice with such succeeding bill. If such user fails to pay all outstanding bills in full or make arrangements with the Village Works Administrator for the payment of all outstanding bills by the due date, and a call is made by the Village Works Administrator within three days to collect such bill, an additional ten dollars ($10.00) trip charge will be made. If payment is not made or arrangements made at this time, service will be terminated and shall be resumed only upon payment in full of all outstanding bills and a twenty dollar ($20.00) reconnection charge.
(h) This Board, in its discretion, may certify to the County Auditor any charges which have been due and unpaid for at least sixty days, together with any penalties thereon; provided that:
(1) The unpaid charges have arisen pursuant to a service contract made directly with the owner of the property served by the connection, and
(2) Written notice of such impending certification has been sent to the owner of the property at least thirty days prior to the certification; provided, if the Board determines that a transfer of the property served is about to occur, any overdue charges may be certified forthwith to the County Auditor. Upon such certification, the County Auditor shall place the certified amount on the real property tax list and duplicate against the property served by the connection. The amount certified shall be a lien on such property from the date placed on the list and duplicate and shall be collected in the same manner as other taxes, except that payment in such amount shall be accepted by the County Treasurer when separately tendered as payment for the full amount of unpaid charges and penalties thereon. The lien shall be released immediately upon payment of the certified amount.
(i) The Board, in its discretion, may collect charges not paid when due by actions at law in the name of the Village.
(j) Unless certified to the County Auditor in accordance with subsection (h) hereof, bills shall be payable at the office of the Fiscal Officer of the Village or at the offices of Huntington National Bank and First Federal Bank located within the Village.
(Res. 18-86. Passed 9-30-86.)