Water rates are established, as amended from time to time by the Village Board, pursuant to §§
152-3 and
152-5 of the Village Code.
A. The minimum monthly charge for residential users shall
be a minimum as determined by the Board of Trustees and shall be payable
by the owners of buildings having a water service, whether occupied
or unoccupied and whether such water service has been turned on or
turned off. Such charges shall be waived, however, provided the owner
of said premises shall request the Village of Coxsackie Water Department
in writing to have the water service turned off outside the building
or building located on said premises. A service charge of $25 shall
be made by the owner of premises for turning off or turning on such
water service, for whatever reason.
B. Industrial water rates, per gallon, are available
only to commercial enterprises, as established from time to time.
Such qualifications, however, shall be subject to approval and periodic
review by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Coxsackie.
Shutoff and turn-on charges shall be $25 for
each service unless otherwise provided in this article.
[Amended 9-22-2015 by L.L. No. 3-2015; 12-14-2015 by L.L. No. 4-2015]
A. Billing procedures. Water rents shall be billed to customers by the
15th of the month following the month of the scheduled reading and
shall be payable without penalty within 30 days after the date of
issuance of such billing. Thereafter, a penalty of 20% will be added
to the bill per quarter. Penalties may be waived, for good cause shown,
at the sole discretion of the Village Board. Failure to receive the
bill by mail or otherwise shall not excuse payment of the water bill.
Effective January 1, 2016, any account that has an unpaid water bill
that goes to the tax roll will incur a penalty of $100 or 20% of the
amount relevied, whichever is higher.
B. Delinquent rents or charges. Whenever water rents or charges have
remained unpaid for more than 90 days from the date of issue, the
Village shall have the right to discontinue the supply of water to
the premises and prevent the further use of water therein, until such
rents and charges and interest at 20% per quarter are paid, together
with the charge of $50 for again turning on water. Where the supply
of water is turned off by direction of the Board of Trustees, no person
shall turn it on without first obtaining a permit therefor. Shutoffs
will be in compliance with all state and federal regulations.
C. Penalty for failure to provide meter readings. Effective January
1, 2019, any working meter, that is determined to be accessible to
read, but that has to be estimated because the owner fails to submit
a meter reading, will be billed at 10,000 gallons for each quarter
and will incur a $25 fee for each quarterly occurrence to the owner's
account. Failure to provide two consecutive quarterly readings will
result in an additional $100 fee to the owner's account and the installation
of a remote-read meter. Failure to provide access to the meter reader
at a mutually agreeable time within three months following the failure
to provide the quarterly meter readings will result in an additional
$250 fee to that account.
[Amended 2-11-2019 by L.L. No. 2-2019]
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing provisions,
except in case of emergency, temporary interruption necessitated by
repairs, extension or maintenance operations, shortage of water or
similar situations, no service shall be terminated by the Village
without complying with the following procedures:
A. Notice of violation and hearing. Upon the determination
by the Superintendent of Water Filtration or the Village Clerk that
a violation has occurred pursuant to this article or that a bill for
services or other charges has become delinquent, the Village Clerk
may notify in writing the occupant or occupants of the affected premises
as well as the owner thereof either personally or by certified mail
at the last known address of such persons, setting forth specifically
the grounds for termination of service and the time and place of hearing
within the Village. Such notice shall be served at least 10 days prior
to the date of the hearing and shall contain a warning that unless
such person or persons shall appear and offer proof or others evidence
at such hearing, the service may be terminated without further notice.
B. Conduct of hearing. At the time and place specified
in the notice, the Superintendent of Water Filtration or other Village
official designated by the Board of Trustees, hereafter referred to
as the "hearing officer," shall conduct the hearing and such proof
or evidence that may be presented by the Village and the other interested
parties.
C. Determination. At the close of the hearing, the hearing
officer may order the termination of the service or other appropriate
action as he or she may determine, including adding the cost of certified
mail or personal service of notice to the service bill of the person
affected.
D. Appeal. Any person aggrieved by the action of the
hearing officer shall have the right to appeal to the Board of Trustees.
Such appeal taken by filing within 14 days after notice of the action
complained of has been mailed to such person's last known address,
together with a written statement setting forth fully the ground for
the appeal. The Board of Trustees shall set a time and place for the
hearing on such appeal and notice of such hearing shall be mailed
to the applicant at his or her last known address at least five days
prior to the date set for the hearing. The decision and order of the
Board of Trustees shall be final and conclusive.