Skip to main content
Loading…
This section is included in your selections.

A. Interest shall be charged for any sewer or storm water fee or charge, or any portion thereof, which has not been paid within sixty days of the due date. The interest rate shall be 8 percent per annum computed on a monthly basis. This interest charge shall be billed on each regular billing as the charges become applicable.

B. The Public Works Director together with the Finance Director shall establish regulations and procedures for discontinuing water service to properties for which water service fees become delinquent. These regulations and procedures shall provide for a date at which delinquent accounts will be processed for shutoff and shall provide for a notice to be given advising of the planned discontinuance of water service. Administrative fees in an amount established by the Finance Director to cover the administrative costs of notification and processing shall be charged to any account for which delinquent water fees and charges remain unpaid in accordance with said rules and regulations. Administrative fees in an amount established by the Finance Director to cover the cost to turn off and turn on water service shall be charged to any account for which an employee of the City is sent to the property to turn on or turn off the water in accordance with said rules and regulations.

C. All fees and charges for water, sanitary sewer and storm water services including but not limited to all charges for turning water on or off, together with any penalties and interest that may be provided by ordinance, shall be a lien upon the property to which the water, sanitary sewer and/or storm water service is furnished superior to all other liens and encumbrances whatsoever, except those for general taxes and local and special assessments. Liens shall be enforced by the City in the manner provided by law.

D. The Public Works Director together with the Finance Director shall establish regulations and procedures for the filing of liens against properties for nonpayment of sewer and storm water fees and charges. In the event that the City shall prepare and/or record a written lien against a property pursuant to state law, administrative fees in amounts established by the Finance Director shall be charged to cover the administrative costs of preparing and filing such lien and shall be added to the delinquent charges. In the event that the City shall prepare and/or file a claim in small claims court for nonpayment of sewer and storm water fees and charges, administrative fees in amounts established by the Finance Director shall be charged to cover the administrative costs of preparing and filing such claim and shall be added to the delinquent charges. In addition to the administrative fee, reasonable attorney’s fees as may be awarded by the court shall be charged to the account.

E. The additional and concurrent method of enforcing the lien of the City for the delinquent and unpaid sewer and storm water fees and charges by turning off the water service to the premises to which water, sanitary sewer, and storm water management services are furnished shall not be exercised after two years from the date of recording of the lien notice, as provided by law, except to enforce payment of one year’s charges for which no lien notice is required by law to be recorded.

F. The Finance Director and/or the Public Works Director, or their respective designees, shall have the authority to adjust the amount of any service charges and to waive all or any portion of the interest charges and administrative fees established by this section in the case of errors, malfunctions of meters or other system components, excusable neglect, undue hardship, uncollectible debt, or other similar extenuating circumstance. (Ord. 2464 § 2 (part), 2009: Ord. 2236 §§ 4, 5, 7, 2004; Ord. 1682 § 7 (part), 1992).