[Ord. No. 15-12.36, 12-15-2015]
The following words and terms, when used in this Chapter, shall be defined as follows:
CONSUMER
The party using the service.
CUSTOMER
The utility service account holder of record.
OWNER
The legal and equitable owner of the real property using the utility services.
PERSON
Natural persons and all corporations, partnerships, associations and all other types and kinds of organizations and entities, without limitation.
THE CITY
The City of Marceline, Missouri.
UTILITY SERVICES
Electrical, water, sanitary sewer and trash collection services.
[Ord. No. 15-12.36, 12-15-2015]
A. 
Any person desiring utility services must complete and sign an application form requesting the appropriate services. The application form must provide the following information:
1. 
Name of applicant(s).
2. 
Applicant(s) present addressing — mailing and property location.
3. 
Applicant(s) previous address.
4. 
Telephone — home.
5. 
Social security number.
6. 
Driver's license number/state.
7. 
Date of birth.
8. 
Employer's name, address and telephone number.
9. 
Type(s) of service requested.
10. 
Legal description (for properties without street addresses).
11. 
Property owner's name and address.
B. 
Customers shall remain responsible for furnishing the City with the correct addresses for billing and service purposes.
[Ord. No. 15-12.36, 12-15-2015]
A. 
Any person who shall desire to connect with the electric and/or water distribution system shall, before such connection is made, make the following cash deposits for all residential and commercial users:
[Ord. No. 23-04.03, 4-12-2023]
1. 
Water: One hundred dollars ($100.00).
2. 
Electric: One hundred fifty dollars ($150.00).
B. 
Customers owning an interest in real estate receiving such services may receive the deposit applied to the utility bill after twelve (12) months with no delinquency. The City may request proof of ownership or leasing arrangements as they deem necessary on a case-to-case basis; provided, however, any person who owns real estate within the City of Marceline, has been a resident of the City of Marceline for a continuous period of no less than three (3) years, is current on all City tax or other municipal assessments and levies, including, but not limited to, all electric and water payments and municipal fines, shall not be required to make such cash deposit.
[Ord. No. 15-12.36, 12-15-2015]
Notwithstanding the deposit return provision in Section 720.030, the cash deposit made shall not be returned by the City until all utility accounts of the consumer shall be paid in full and closed. Such deposit shall bear no interest. All cash deposits shall be held by the City in the general fund, and any income derived from the investments of such deposits shall remain in a part of the general fund. If a customer fails to pay his/her utility account, including sewer and trash, the cash deposit will be transferred to the property utility fund and applied to the unpaid customer's account.
[Ord. No. 15-12.36, 12-15-2015]
No person or persons shall be eligible to connect any property, owned or rented by them, commercial or residential, to the electrical or water systems of the City, unless all accounts or debts owed by such person or persons to the City shall be paid in full. Such accounts or debts shall include, but not be limited to, charges for electricity, sewer, water or trash, personal or real property taxes, merchandise purchased on open accounts, and services rendered by the City.
[Ord. No. 15-12.36, 12-15-2015]
All accounts for utility services shall be due and payable on the first day of any month following the billing period in which such account is accrued.
[Ord. No. 21-03.02, 3-16-2021]
A. 
A tech fee in the amount of eighty-three cents ($0.83) per month will be applied to each utility account billing to provide online account access to utility account holders and to offer online utility billing payment processing.
B. 
The effective date of the tech fee is effective May 1, 2021, and is to be included on the utility billing due the month of May, 2021, and every month thereafter.
[Ord. No. 15-12.36, 12-15-2015]
A. 
All users shall be billed monthly and such bill shall be due and payable the first day of the month following the month during which such account accrued. Any person who shall fail to pay any utility account owing by such person to the City by the 20th day of the month following the month in which such account accrued shall be delinquent and pay as a penalty for such delinquency, the sum equal to ten percent (10%) of the delinquent account. When the 20th day of the month shall fall on Sunday, such accounts shall become delinquent after the 21st day of such month.
B. 
If the delinquent bill is not paid the 25th day of the same month, electric, water and sewer services shall be disconnected. When the 25th day of the month shall fall on Sunday, such account shall be discontinued after the 26th day of such month. Services shall not be resumed until the payment shall have been accomplished as directed by the City Manager. In all cases, the oldest bill must be paid first and no payment shall be accepted for any month unless the previous month's bill has been paid. The consumer shall further pay a service charge of fifty dollars ($50.00) per utility for reconnection of services.
[Ord. No. 15-12.36, 12-15-2015; Ord. No. 18-02.02, 2-26-2018; Ord. No. 23-04.02, 4-12-2023]
A. 
Notices for delinquent accounts may be served by either mailing a "Delinquency/Termination of Service Notice" to the last known address of the consumer or by leaving a copy of the notice at the door of the residence or business where the services were used at least three (3) days prior to the date service is to be terminated. The City reserves the right to notify landlords, agents and guarantors by mailing a copy of the "Delinquency/Termination of Service Notice."
B. 
Property owners shall be responsible for any water and sewer charges or fees unpaid by any tenant of the premises served by such utilities. In the event the owner or tenant fails to pay such delinquent charges, the City may refuse to provide utility services to such premises until such delinquent charges have been paid in full; provided, however, the owner of the property shall not be liable or responsible for delinquent water and sewer sums due for more than ninety (90) days of service.
C. 
When a tenant is delinquent in payment for thirty (30) days, the City shall make a good faith effort to notify the owner of the premises of the delinquency and amount thereof. Any notice of termination of utility service shall be sent to both the occupant and owner of the premises and the owner shall not be responsible for delinquent water and sewer charges due for more than ninety (90) days of service.
D. 
Said notice shall provide the following information:
1. 
Name and address of customer;
2. 
Account number;
3. 
Amount past due plus late fees;
4. 
Reconnection charges and/or deposits; and
5. 
Notice that utility services will be terminated upon failure to pay the delinquent billing plus late charges by the twenty-fifth (25th) business day of the month.
[Ord. No. 15-12.36, 12-15-2015]
A. 
For other than a customer request for utility service disconnection, the City may discontinue or refuse a particular utility service to any customer, without notice or hearing, for any of the following reasons:
1. 
When it is determined by an employee of the City Utility Department that the continuance of a particular utility service constitutes a dangerous condition presenting a likely immediate threat to health or safety of persons or to property on or near the customer's premises.
2. 
When the customer misrepresents his/her identity or otherwise intentionally provides false information for the purpose of obtaining utility services from the City.
3. 
When the customer refuses to grant employees of the City's Utility Department access to equipment installed upon the premises of the customer for the purposes of inspection, meter reading, maintenance or replacement.
4. 
When the customer attempts, causes or permits unauthorized interference, diversion, theft, tampering, damage or use of utility services or the utility services delivery system situated on or about the customer's premises.
[Ord. No. 15-12.36, 12-15-2015]
Prior to reconnecting a utility service disconnected for any of the reasons set out in Section 720.100, the customer shall pay to the City the entire utility balance due and owing to the City at the time of reconnection plus any other delinquent accounts as specified in Section 720.050. The customer shall also pay a reconnection charge of fifty dollars ($50.00) for reconnection of electric service and fifty dollars ($50.00) for reconnection of water service during working hours.
[Ord. No. 15-12.36, 12-15-2015]
A. 
Upon request of the customer, and for other than a permanent utility service disconnection, one (1) or more City utility services may be temporarily suspended through disconnection of service(s) for up to, and not exceeding, six (6) months. A reconnection fee for customer-initiated temporary disconnections is fifteen dollars ($15.00) for reconnection of electric service and fifteen dollars ($15.00) for water service during working hours.
B. 
Section 720.110 shall apply if the temporary service disconnection exceeds six (6) months.
C. 
This Section is not applicable, and no fee shall be charged to the customer for customer-initiated temporary disconnection of service(s) when the particular utility service is disconnected for emergency repair of the system on or near the customer's premises.
[Ord. No. 15-12.36, 12-15-2015]
The City Council may from time to time adopt guidelines to be followed by City employees to effectuate the operation of the utility systems, extensions and connections thereto, temporary services and other items the Council may deem advisable.