[HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Board of the Village of
Benton as Title 9, Ch. 4, Sec. 9-4-5, of the Benton Code of Ordinances.
Amendments noted where applicable.]
A bill shall be prepared and submitted monthly to the owner
or occupant of each lot or parcel of real estate in the Village to
which electric/water/sewer/refuse has been furnished by the Village
during the preceding one-month period. Each bill for electric/water/sewer/refuse
utility charges shall be dated, shall clearly reflect the amount due,
and shall be sent to the owner or occupant at the property address.
A.
All electric/water/sewer/refuse utility charges shall be payable
within 20 days following the date of the utility bill. A late payment
charge of 3% of any unpaid balance (but not less than $0.50) shall
be assessed and added to the bill if the amount of the bill is not
paid in full within said twenty-day period. If the bill is not paid
following expiration of said twenty-day period, a notification shall
be sent indicating the amount of the bill and late payment charge,
and informing the owner or occupant that service will be disconnected
if payment is not received within 10 days. If the bill and late payment
charge are not paid within 10 days of date of said notice, and provided
a deferred payment agreement has not been reached within such ten-day
period, water service to the property shall be terminated.
B.
The Village Clerk-Treasurer shall collect delinquent electric/water/sewer/refuse
bills and late charges in the same manner as collection of general
Village taxes. Delinquent bills and all late charges and penalties
shall be a lien on the real estate to which the electric/water/sewer/refuse
was furnished. All delinquent bills and charges that have accrued
during the preceding year and are not paid by the first of November
in any year, including the delinquent bills, charges and penalties,
shall be added to the tax roll as a delinquent tax against the property
served with statutory penalties added. All proceedings in relation
to the collection, return and sale of property for delinquent Village
taxes shall apply to said assessment.
C.
Nonreceipt of any bill described in this section shall not release
the owner of the property from liability for any of these charges.
In any case where the owner or occupant of the property is responsible
for the nonreceipt of the bill, the provisions herein described for
late charges, penalties and disconnection shall apply. In those instances
where the Village is responsible for the nonreceipt of the bill, the
Village may, in its discretion, grant the owner or occupant an extension
of the payment period and may waive the late payment charges.
D.
A charge will be made for processing checks that have been returned
for insufficient funds.
