[CC 2001 §217.010; Ord. No. 1118 §1, 8-23-1999; Ord. No. 1296 §§1 — 2, 2007]
A. 
There is hereby assessed for the 2007 tax year and thereafter an annual fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) on all residential property within the City of Edmundson having six (6) or fewer dwelling units to provide funds to pay the cost of certain repairs of defective lateral sewer lines serving such dwelling units. Nothing herein shall prevent the Board of Aldermen from reducing such assessment when it determines that lesser amount will provide sufficient revenues to pay the authorized costs under the Sanitary Sewer Lateral Repair Program. Any such reduction shall be by ordinance and shall cover a period of not less than one (1) year.
B. 
Such fee shall be imposed only on homes which areas are connected into the sanitary sewer system operated and maintained by the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District. Any homes which continue to utilize operable septic systems are not subject to payment of said fee.
C. 
Said assessment shall be billed and collected annually. The City anticipates collection of such fee under contract to the St. Louis County Department of Revenue as an additional line item on the annual real estate tax bill due and payable by the thirty-first (31st) of December each year. The City Administrator is hereby authorized to enter into a contract with St. Louis County for collection of said fee.
D. 
All proceeds from said fee shall be deposited into an interest-bearing account and all proceeds, including interest, shall be used only for purposes allowed under Section 249.422, RSMo., relating to operation of the Sanitary Sewer Lateral Repair Program.
[CC 2001 §217.020; Ord. No. 1118 §2, 8-23-1999]
There is hereby established a fund known as the "Sanitary Sewer Repair Fund" created for the sole purpose of implementing a program for repair of defective residential sanitary sewer laterals in accordance with the provisions of Section 249.422, RSMo. The City Administrator is hereby authorized to create such fund on the financial records of the City of Edmundson.
[CC 2001 §217.030; Ord. No. 1118 §3, 8-23-1999; Ord. No. 1203 §1, 1-8-2004]
A. 
The Sanitary Sewer Lateral Repair Program is intended to be an "insurance type" program offering homeowners protection against costly and unforeseen emergency repair to their sanitary sewer lateral.
B. 
The following general regulations shall apply to reimbursement under the program:
1. 
No person or household delinquent in payment of the assessment to the fund shall be eligible for reimbursement until such assessment shall have been paid in full.
2. 
Any and all applications for participation in the program must be submitted by the property owner not the tenant of the single-family structure.
3. 
The homeowner or tenant shall have the initial responsibility to investigate the cause of any sanitary sewer breakage or collapse including the initial cost of cabling such sewer. Only breakages or collapses of sanitary sewer laterals shall qualify for reimbursement under this program.
4. 
No individual repair shall be charged against the fund in an amount in excess of two thousand two hundred fifty dollars ($2,250.00). Any costs in excess of this amount shall be the responsibility of the property owner.
5. 
Reimbursement under this program shall be subordinate to any insurance or other similar financial protection including settlements from potential litigation against parties other than the City to which the property owner is otherwise entitled.
C. 
The following costs are authorized for reimbursement or payment under this program:
1. 
The cost of dye testing or video of the sanitary sewer lateral to determine the location of the breakage or collapse.
2. 
The cost of removal of any site improvements necessary for excavation to repair or replace the sewer. However, the fund will reimburse reinstallation of said improvements only for fences and affected sections of private driveways or sidewalks.
3. 
The cost of excavation and repair or replacement of the sanitary sewer lateral from the MSD main to the foundation of the affected home. Excavation and repair under any structure, including the home, is not covered by this program.
4. 
Site restoration is limited to re-establishment of a reasonable grade using materials on-site.
5. 
The cost of restoration of any public street or sidewalk located on the public right-of-way.
6. 
Administrative costs incurred by the City including, but not limited to, bidding, contract management costs, cost of materials and labor for repair to public infrastructure and other off-site work done by the City under this policy. Such costs shall include recovery of the proportional amount of salary and benefits costs incurred in administration of this program. Such costs shall be reimbursed to the General Fund of the City as miscellaneous income.
D. 
The following costs are not authorized for reimbursement under the program:
1. 
The costs of interior cleanup or other damage to the interior of the home or personal property caused by sanitary sewer backups resulting from the failure of the sanitary sewer lateral.
2. 
The cost of lost wages or income to the home occupant due to absence from work necessary to work with the City or contractors to complete the repairs necessary under the program.
3. 
The initial cost of cabling or other similar methods to attempt to clear the blockage prior to the repair.
4. 
The cost of site restoration including landscaping, seeding or sodding. Such costs are the responsibility of the property owner. The program will be responsible for lawn restoration involving property of another which is disturbed in order to achieve the repairs necessary under the program.
5. 
If it is determined that the need for such repair or replacement of the sanitary sewer lateral is determined to be the result of a natural disaster, negligence or damage during the course of other excavation or construction on the site.
6. 
The cost of clearing blockage of any kind in the absence of an actual breakage or collapse in the sanitary sewer line.
[CC 2001 §217.040; Ord. No. 1118 §4, 8-23-1999]
Responsibility for administration and management of the Sanitary Sewer Lateral Repair Program is hereby assigned to the City Administrator.