Section 134-71 UTILITY ACCOUNTS-PAYMENTS/TERMINATION OF SERVICE
A.
DEPOSIT:
1.
Amount:
For
an existing residential service location,
the deposit required for Town utility services shall be an amount
equal to the highest monthly bill for that location during the
preceding
twelve months or one hundred and twenty-five dollars ($125.00),
whichever is
greater.
For
an existing commercial service location,
the deposit required for Town utility services shall be an amount
equal to
the highest monthly bill for that location during the preceding twelve
months
or two hundred dollars ($200.00), whichever is greater.
To
calculate the amount of the deposit for
newly established residential or commercial service locations, the
Front Royal
Department of Finance shall establish the deposit at an amount equal to
the
customer's anticipated monthly usage of water and electric service, as
may be
the case.
If,
at any time, the customer's deposit is
waived or returned, as set forth below, but the customer's service
subsequently
is terminated for nonpayment or the customer has made four late
payments
during any twelve month period, a deposit, in an amount as set forth
above,
shall be required.
2.
Deposit Waiver:
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, no deposit
shall be required hen an acceptable credit history is furnished by
the
customer from a previous utility provider. Acceptable credit
history is
defined as a customer who can demonstrate that during the previous
twelve
months his bills were paid with no more than four (4) late
payments on a
monthly billing system or no more than two (2) late payments on a
bimonthly system.
Payment
of the deposit is due upon execution
of the service work order. In lieu of the foregoing, when
the
required deposit for a residential customer exceeds one hundred dollars
($100.00)
but is less than two hundred dollars ($200.00), the customer may elect
to pay
one hundred dollars ($100.00) at the time the work order is executed
and pay
the balance of the deposit along with payment for the first
month's
service. When the required deposit exceeds two hundred dollars
($200.00),
the deposit may be paid in two equal installments with one half
due when
the work order is signed and pay the remaining half along with the
payment
for the first month's service.
4. Interest and Refunds:
Deposits
shall be held in an
interest bearing account.
Deposit
plus interest shall be refunded
either: (1) upon termination of the service account in an amount equal
to the
deposit and accrued interest minus any amount deducted to satisfy
customer
arrearages or other debts owing to the Town; or (2) upon the
customer's
request after a period of twelve months of service during which there
were no
more than four delinquent payments. Upon request of a refund, the
Director of Finance shall first ensure that customer does not have any
debts
owing to the Town. If the customer is indebted to the Town,
the
Director of Finance will apply any refund toward satisfaction of
these
debts prior to the refund of any money to the customer.
B.
PAYMENTS:
1.
Due Date - Fines and Charges:
All
payments for water, sewer, electric, and
garbage collection services shall be due within 20 days of the date of
billing.
Accounts, for which full payment is not received within 20 days,
are
delinquent. A late charge of 2% of the delinquent bill
immediately
shall be charged to the delinquent account. If the account
remains
delinquent for 10 days after the original notice, an additional
service
charge of $10.00 shall be charged. Finally, a service charge will be
required to
reconnect service that has been discontinued due to non payment. If the
reconnection
occurs during normal business hours, the reconnection fee shall be
$15.00. All
other times, the reconnection fee shall be $25.00.
2.
Allocation of Payments:
During
a delinquency in the payment for any
service (electric, water, sewerage, or garbage collection) any
subsequent
payment received for services will be applied first against the most
delinquent
account which is not subject to a defense of any applicable statute of
limitations.
3. Budget
Billing:
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the Director of
Finance, in his discretion, may enter into agreements with
customers for
alternative billing and payment schedules with persons on fixed or
limited
incomes.
C.
TERMINATION OF SERVICES:
1.
Notice:
The
Director of Finance shall notify the
customer in writing of all 20 day delinquencies, imminent
service termination, and right to contest as set forth below.
Notice also
shall be posted on the door of the premise with the delinquent
account.
2. Protest:
The
customer may contest the bill by
contacting the Director of Finance for the Town of Front Royal
who will
immediately schedule a hearing on the customer's claim that his
account
is not delinquent.
3. Disconnection of Service:
If
the matter is not successfully contested by
the customer and arrearages remain 10 days after the date of
the aforementioned notices, water service shall
be disconnected.
If the account remains delinquent after another 2 days, electric
service
shall be disconnected. If, however, the customer has not secured
water
service, electric service (rather than water) will be disconnected
after 10
days. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no services shall be disconnected
prior to
a requested hearing.
4. Persons in Poor Health:
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, neither water
nor electric service of a delinquent customer shall be
disconnected
pursuant to this section if the Director of the Warren County
Department of
Health previously has certified to the Front Royal Director of
Finance, in
writing that shutting off the water or electricity will endanger the
health of
the Customer or other occupants.
5.
Conditions for Reconnection of Service:
Once
disconnected, services shall not be
restored to that customer until the outstanding balance (service
fee(s),
penalty, and reconnection fee(s)) for that service location
is paid
in full, unless the Director of Finance has approved other
arrangements
for payment in full.
If
a check is returned to the Town for any
reason, the Director of Finance shall notify, in the same manner as
provided
above, the Customer. If payment, in full, plus a $20.00 service
charge is
not received by the close of business three days after the date on the
notice,
all utility services to the customer's service location shall be
disconnected.
If the customer presents the Town with more than two bad checks
during any twelve month payment, payment by check will no longer
be
accepted.
(Ord.
No. 5-98 Amended
Entire Section 2-23-98-Effective Upon Passage)