[Ord. No. 15-12.36, 12-15-2015]
The following words and terms, when used in this Chapter, shall
be defined as follows:
The party using the service.
The utility service account holder of record.
The legal and equitable owner of the real property using
the utility services.
Natural persons and all corporations, partnerships, associations
and all other types and kinds of organizations and entities, without
limitation.
The City of Marceline, Missouri.
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]
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:
[Ord. No. 15-12.36, 12-15-2015]
Where applicable, the City shall comply with Section 441.650
et seq., RSMo., prior to disconnecting any master metered multitenant
dwelling, as defined in said Statute.
[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.
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.
