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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 1224ORDZNA_~CE 1224 BEZNG AN ORDINANCE ANENDZNG ORDZNANCE NO. 853, CITY CODE OF 1977, A8 AMENDED, PERTAINING TO THE REPEAL OF MUNICIPAL BERVXCEB; UTXLITIEB; WATER ]tHE) BEWER CONNECTION8 The City of Columbia Heights does ordain: · BCTION 1: Chapter 4, Article III, Sections 1, 2, and 3 of the City Code of 1977, as amended, passed June 21, 1977, which currently reads as follows, to wit: 4.301(1) 4.301(2) 4.301(3) 4.301(4) Section 1 WATER AND SEWER CONNECTIONS The Council shall by resolution fix all charges and penalties for late payment for water and sewer service and for garbage and rubbish hauling rates for dwellings and shall similarly fix the rates by which such charges shall be computed. All such utility bills may be collected as provided for water billing by Section 4.303. No permit to tap or connect with sewer or water service in the City shall be granted for service to property for which there are delinquent taxes, delinquent special assessments, or unpaid special charges, as of the date of the permit application. The distribution and quantity of water purchased from the City shall be regulated by the use of water meters, under the exclusive control of the City. For purposes of enforcing the provisions of this Code, delegated city officials upon presentation of proper identification shall have the authority to enter any premises during reasonable business hours for inspection or maintenance of said water meters. The Public Works Department shall insure that every customer and user of City water is provided with a properly installed water meter upon request therefore. (a) No person other than an employee of the City shall install such meter. (b) No customer or user of City water shall be provided water unless such meter has been so installed. 4.301(5) Every water meter shall be sealed by an employee of the City at the time of installation; and at any time thereafter where the seal has been broken. (a) No person shall break or remove said seal, provided however, that a licensed plumber may break said seal for the purpose of making necessary repairs. (b) Any broken seal or removed water meter shall be reported to the City within 24 hours of such action, or as soon as discovered. 4.302(1) 4.302(2) 4.302(3) Section 2 CONNECTION AND DISCONNECTION CHARGES Water service for any premises, building or building unit, shall not be commenced or restarted until a connection fee in an amount set by resolution of the Council is paid to the Clerk, together with any delinquent water bills from past service to said building or building unit, and any unpaid and delinquent special assessments. Where separate water meters are installed to service separate locations or units within the same building, the provisions of this section relating to delinquent water bills shall only apply to those locations or units for which such delinquencies exist. A disconnection fee as set by resolution of the Council shall be charged upon voluntary or involuntary termination of water service at any premises, building, or building unit. 4.303(1) 4.303(2) Section 3 UTILITY CHARGES, BILLING AND COLLECTIONS The administrative service of the City shall provide for a method of periodic accounting and recording of water consumed at each metered location throughout the City. Bills shall then be calculated to include connecting and disconnecting charges; minimum charges for availability of water services, regardless of connection or usage; and consumption charges as are necessary and appropriate for revenue for the maintenance and operation of the City water works facilities. The administrative service shall mall said water bills %o the general occupant at the address listed for each specified meter location. 2 4.303(3) 4.303(4) 4.303(5) (a) For purposes of this section, bills are presumed to be received by the person responsible for payment thereon within five (5) days of mailing. (b) Water bills are due and payable on the 10th day of the following month following their mailing. Any bill not paid by the 10th day of the month following its mailing is delinquent. Partial payments shall be considered as payment towards most recent amounts billed. The administrative service shall ascertain all water bills that are delinquent after the 10th day of the month and mail notice of such delinquency to the occupant of the metered location by the 20th day of the same month. If such bill remains unpaid at the 30th day of the month in which the delinquency notice was sent, the administrative service shall send a second written notice of such delinquency. Said notice shall include a statement that water service will be discontinued unless full payment is received by the 10th day of the month following the month in which the first delinquency notice was mailed. Water service may be discontinued at any time thereafter, subject to the following exceptions: Service may not be discontinued in this manner for: (a) Any tenant, lessee, or individual occupant of a multiple dwelling or commercial building which does not have a separate meter for each separate tenant, lessee, or occupant unit. (b) Any person who has filed with the Clerk a written protest of the amount billed, either in whole or in part, together with the reasons or basis for such protest. Water service may be discontinued under circumstances described in Section 4.303(4)(a) by providing thirty (30) days written "final notice" to each individual tenant, lessee, or occupant. Upon expiration of twenty five (25) days of said thirty (30) day period, additional written no~i~ ~ha~l ~ provided to each individual tenant, lessee, or occupant indicating whether the delinquent water bills remain unpaid. 3 4.303(6) 4.303(7) 4.303(8) Under circumstances described in Section 4.303(4)(b), the administrative service shall investigate the basis for the protest and issue a report of its findings to the aggrieved party. When so warranted by the result of the investigation, water service may thereafter be terminated upon twenty four (24) hours notice. Subject to the foregoing provisions of this obligation for payment of any water bill for a meter servicing an individual tenant, lessee, or occupant shall be the joint and severable responsibility of any person in possession of the premises and the record owner of such premises. The Council may authorize the City Assessor to certify unpaid and delinquent water bills to the County Auditor annually for collection pursuant to the provisions of Minnesota Statutes Chapter 444.075. is herewith repealed. SECTION This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after thirty (30) days after its passage. First Reading: Second Reading: Date of Passage: Offered By: Seconded By: Roll Call: June 24, 1991 A,,?~t 26. 1991 Auoust 26. 1991 P?~;erson ~]~rkin Al 1 ayes Edward Carlson, Mayor J~Anne Student, Council Secretary 4