[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Laconia 12-29-1975 as Ch. 46 of the Public Ordinances of 1975. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Administration of government — See Ch. 5.
[Amended 8-26-1991 by Ord. No. 200-91.11]
The construction, replacement, management, maintenance, control and direction of the Laconia Waterworks shall be vested in a Board of Water Commissioners to consist of three citizens of said Laconia, the Director of Public Works and a member of the City Council appointed by the Mayor, with the approval of the City Council, as members ex officio.
The terms of office for said Board of Water Commissioners shall be for three years and until its successors are duly appointed and qualified. One Commissioner shall be appointed annually on the last Monday in June or as soon as practicable subsequent thereto.
[Amended 8-26-1991 by Ord. No. 200-91.11]
Whenever a vacancy shall occur by death, resignation, extended illness or removal, the vacancy shall be filled by the City Council for the unexpired term.
The Board of Water Commissioners shall be sworn to the faithful discharge of its duties. It shall annually organize by choosing one of its members as Chairman of the Board. It shall appoint a Clerk and a Superintendent of the Waterworks and such other personnel as it may deem necessary and shall thereupon furnish a certificate of such organization to the City Clerk, who shall record the same in his records.
The Board of Water Commissioners shall have and exercise for and in behalf of the City of Laconia all the power and right delegated to it by the provisions of this chapter. It shall fix the compensation of all personnel and employees appointed by it. It shall have full charge and control of all work pertaining to the maintenance replacement, management, operation, necessary construction, the purchase of materials and the purchase of necessities for the waterworks. It may, by formal vote, sell such of the personal property connected with the waterworks as it deems expedient, and necessary papers relative thereto shall be executed by the Chairman for and in behalf of said Board.
The Board of Water Commissioners shall make and execute all contracts and agreements necessary to fulfill the purposes of this chapter, provided that no contract or agreement shall be made for the purchase and/or sale of any real estate or source of water until such contract or agreement shall have been formally ratified by vote of the City Council. All contracts and agreements made by said Board of Water Commissioners shall be in writing and executed in duplicate, one copy to be kept by the Commissioners, and one copy shall be delivered to each party and/or parties of the second part. No contract or agreement shall be assigned or transferred without the written consent of the Commissioners.
The Board of Water Commissioners shall keep a record of their official proceedings and report to the City Council not less than four times each year at intervals of three months and at the close of each municipal year, as by law required, and at such other times as said Council may require.
The Board of Water Commissioners shall keep regular books of accounts, shall regulate the distribution and use of water throughout the City, shall establish a scale of prices, terms or rates upon which the water will be furnished to consumers, shall regulate the time of payment and shall make such abatements or discounts or charge such additional rates as in its judgment seems for the best interest of the department and the City. The Board of Water Commissioners shall keep a register of all persons contracting for the use of water or by the location where the same is used and the price payable therefor; they shall faithfully account annually to the City Council for all receipts and expenditures of the Department.
The Board of Water Commissioners shall have no power or authority to issue any bond or note or renewal of the same for any outstanding obligation or any debt created in the construction and management of the waterworks. The issue of all bonds or notes or renewals of the same for any obligation of the Water Department shall be authorized by the concurrent vote of the City Council.
The control and maintenance of all fire hydrants in the City of Laconia shall hereafter be vested in the Board of Water Commissioners.
All charges for water furnished to patrons in the City of Laconia shall become a lien upon any real estate where such water is furnished, and said lien shall continue for one year from the last item charged at said water rate, and said lien may be enforced by a suit in behalf of the City of Laconia ordered by the Board of Water Commissioners against the owner and/or owners of record of such real estate. The records in the office of the waterworks department and the charges for water furnished as aforesaid shall be sufficient notice to maintain suit upon such lien against subsequent purchasers or attaching creditors of said real estate.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply wherever water is supplied beyond the confines of the limits of the City of Laconia, in accordance with the rules and regulations promulgated by the Public Utilities Commission.
[Amended 12-27-1983 by Ord. No. 86-83.11; 8-28-1989 by Ord. No. 171-89.6]
Only the appointed members of the Board of Water Commissioners shall receive for his/her services such compensation as shall be determined by vote of the City Council, the same to be paid from the funds of the Laconia Waterworks.