The city shall have the power to buy, own, construct, maintain and operate utilities and to manufacture and distribute electricity, gas or anything else that may be needed or used by the public, and shall have such further powers that may now or hereafter be granted under the constitution and laws of the State of Texas.
All municipally owned utilities shall be operated by the city in such a manner as to be self-sustaining insofar as is practical, and shall not be converted into general revenue producing agencies of the city. The city council may transfer funds of municipally owned utilities to the general fund of the city, provided, however, that the amount so transferred shall not exceed annually twenty (20) percent of the gross revenue of said utilities for the previous fiscal year. Such sums so transferred to be in lieu of taxes, street rentals or other contributions to general administrative expenses of the city; provided, however, nothing herein is to apply to the operation of charitable and educational facilities operated by the city. Such transfers shall be made annually and shall be noncumulative.
Accounts shall be kept for each public utility owned or operated by the city in such manner as to show the true and complete financial results of such city ownership and operations, including all assets appropriately subdivided into different classes, all liabilities subdivided by classes, depreciation, reserve, other reserves and surplus; also revenues, operating expenses including depreciation, interest payments, rental and other distribution of annual income. The accounts shall show the actual capital cost to the city of each public utility owned, also the costs of all extensions, additions and improvements and the source of the funds expended for such capital purposes. They shall show as nearly as possible the cost of any service furnished to or rendered by any such utility to any other city or governmental department. The city council shall annually cause to be made by a certified public accountant and shall publish a report showing the financial results of such city ownership and operation, giving the information specified in this section or such data as the city council shall deem expedient.
(Ordinance 910, sec. 1, adopted 5/11/99)
(a)
The city council shall have the power and authority to sell and distribute water and provide for sewer services to any person, firm or corporation outside the limits of the City of Liberty, and to permit them to connect with said systems under contract with the city, under such terms and conditions as may appear to be for the best interests of the city; provided the charges fixed for such services outside the city limits shall return a fair and reasonable revenue to the city.
(b)
The city council shall have the power and authority to prescribe the kind of water or sewer pipes within or beyond the limits of the City of Liberty, where it furnishes the service, and to inspect the same and require them to be kept in good order and condition at all times and to make such rules and regulations as shall be necessary and proper, and prescribe penalties for noncompliance with same.
(Ordinance 2020-35, prop. JJ, adopted 11/10/20)