In the event that any fees or charges assessed for such services are not paid by the fifteenth of the month, they shall be considered delinquent and subject to additional delinquent charges and shall automatically constitute a lien against the property to which the services were rendered. Such a lien, for up to four months of utility service charges, shall encumber the property and shall be the obligation of the property owner, their heirs, successors, and/or assignees, until the same is paid in full. The city may enforce the lien by shutting off water service at 45 days past due (60 days from billing date) and until all delinquent and unpaid charges are paid in full.
A. Utility charges shall be the responsibility of the property owner and shall be billed directly to the property owner or the address designated by the owner in writing. Payment for utility services for any property shall become due and payable on the fifteenth day of the month following the month within which the service was rendered. If any amount remains unpaid after the twenty-eighth day of the month being first billed, a late penalty of 15 percent of the outstanding balance shall be added to the utility account on the date stated on the billing. The city clerk shall give notice in writing to the owner or owner's agent as officially listed in the city records, or the best address available to the clerk, of such delinquency, and advising that the water service shall be discontinued at the expiration of 10 days thereafter unless the account is paid in full. This written notice shall serve as the final notice with no additional written notices to be delivered prior to termination of services. Such notice shall indicate that the delinquent user may contact the city clerk or other responsible city official at City Hall during business hours to make arrangements to bring the account current.
B. In the event the city should proceed to terminate water service to any property which has failed to bring its account current after mailing of written notice, the employee of the city dispatched to disconnect the water service shall make a reasonable effort to inform the user that water service is being terminated. The city employee may not accept payment of the delinquent amount from the user.
D. In the event the water supply is turned off, the same shall not be turned back on until all delinquent utility charges, late fees and penalties have been paid in full. In addition, the account shall be charged a water turn-on charge of $100.00.
E. Delinquent users may contact the city clerk or other responsible city official at City Hall during business hours to make arrangements to bring the account current. To qualify for a payment arrangement the following criteria shall be met with no exceptions:
1. Fifty percent of the total amount due shall be paid by the due date of the current billing cycle in which the payment agreement is entered; and
2. Any remaining past due amount shall be paid in full no later than the last day of the month following the billing cycle in which the payment arrangement was entered.
F. In cases where the occupant of the premises moves to another location within the system and applies for water at the new location, services may be denied at such location unless and until any statement for service against the first location is fully paid.
G. The city shall have lien against the property for unpaid utility charges as provided by state law for unified utility billings.
H. Failure to receive mail will not be recognized as a valid excuse for failure to pay charges due. Notice of change in ownership of property and change in mailing address must be given in writing by the property owner or his agent to the city.
(Ord. 1160 § 1, 2019; Ord. 1189 § 3 (Exh. A), 2022)