Chapter 13.18
UTILITY BILLING PROCESS
Sections:
13.18.005 Combined utility – Payment application process.
13.18.010 Billing – Due dates.
13.18.020 Late payments – Late penalty.
13.18.030 Delinquent payments – Shut-off of service.
13.18.050 Property owners responsible for payment of utility charges.
13.18.055 Utility account set-up fees.
13.18.060 Failure to receive mail not excuse for nonpayment – Registering change of ownership.
13.18.090 Life-line, low-income senior citizen and low-income disabled person rate discounts.
13.18.005 Combined utility – Payment application process.
A. The city operates and maintains a combined utility, consisting of the water system, the sewerage system, and the stormwater system as per the authorization of RCW 35.67.331 and further TMC 3.36.165.
B. In the event that any person, firm or corporation shall tender as payment of water, sewer or stormwater services an amount insufficient to pay in full any of the charges so billed, credit shall be given in the following priority:
|
Priority |
Type |
|---|---|
|
1st |
Fees/Penalties |
|
2nd |
Stormwater |
|
3rd |
Sewer – Local |
|
4th |
Sewer – LOTT |
|
5th |
Water |
C. In the event that any utility account shall become delinquent, water service may be terminated by the city and discontinued until all delinquent fees, penalties, rates or charges for the use of the stormwater service, sewer services and water service shall have been paid in full.
(Ord. O2013-005, Amended, 05/07/2013; Ord. O2000-018, Added, 07/18/2000)
13.18.010 Billing – Due dates.
Charges for all utilities may be billed on either a monthly or a bimonthly basis, as required by the city council. All utility billing shall be past due after the twenty-fifth of the calendar month following service delivery.
(Ord. O2013-005, Amended, 05/07/2013; Ord. O95-034, Amended, 10/17/1995; Ord. 1084, Amended, 02/03/1987; Ord. 869, Added, 03/18/1980)
13.18.020 Late payments – Late penalty.
In the event that any utility billing is not paid until the day after the due date a late penalty shall be assessed monthly as established by resolution of the city council. In addition, a penalty shall be assessed on the twenty-first day after the due date as established by resolution of the city council.
(Ord. O2013-005, Amended, 05/07/2013; Ord. O95-034, Amended, 10/17/1995; Ord. 941, Added, 09/21/1982)
13.18.030 Delinquent payments – Shut-off of service.
A. In the event that any utility billing is not paid within twenty days after it becomes due, payment thereof shall be considered delinquent.
B. If the unpaid utility involves water service, the city will post a notice at the service address. The notification shall contain at least the following:
1. The person or persons designated by the city as responsible for hearing complaints regarding disputed bills as utility service arbitrator;
2. The location, phone number, and office hours of the utility arbitrator;
3. The total amount of the utility bill past due, including any penalties; and
4. The date on which the water to the premises will be shut off should payment not be made.
C. If payment is not received within one week of the date the notice was posted, the city shall shut off the water service. Water shall not be restored to the premises until the past due amount and the reconnection charge is paid.
(Ord. O2013-005, Amended, 05/07/2013; Amended during 2011 reformat; O95-034, Amended, 10/17/1995; Ord. 1134, Amended, 07/21/1987; Ord. 1084, Amended, 02/03/1987; Ord. 947, Amended, 11/16/1982; Ord. 886, Amended, 11/21/1980; Ord. 869, Added, 03/18/1980)
13.18.040 Reconnection fee.
If water service has been shut off for nonpayment, there will be an additional fee for turning the water back on. This additional fee shall be assessed as established by resolution of the city council.
(Ord. O2013-005, Amended, 05/07/2013; Ord. O95-034, Amended, 10/17/1995; Ord. 1147, Amended, 12/15/1987; Ord. 886, Amended, 11/21/1980; Ord. 869, Added, 03/18/1980)
13.18.050 Property owners responsible for payment of utility charges.
Pursuant to the enabling authority contained in Chapter 35.92 RCW, property owners shall be responsible for all utility charges. The city shall mail all utility bills to the property owner. The property owner shall be responsible for payment of the utility bill in accordance with this chapter.
(Ord. O2013-005, Amended, 05/07/2013; Ord. O95-034, Amended, 10/17/1995; Ord. 869, Added, 03/18/1980)
13.18.055 Utility account set-up fees.
A. Upon request for services from the owner of a property, an account set-up fee shall be assessed as established by resolution of the city council.
B. Upon request of the owner of a property to provide a copy of the utility bill for said property to a tenant or other party, a set-up fee shall be assessed as established by resolution of the city council.
C. A monthly fee for producing and mailing of a duplicate bill will be charged as established by resolution of the city council.
(Ord. O2013-005, Added, 05/07/2013)
13.18.060 Failure to receive mail not excuse for nonpayment – Registering change of ownership.
Failure to receive mail will not be recognized as a valid excuse for failure to pay bills when due. Change in ownership of property and change in mailing address must be filed with the office of the finance director on forms provided by the city for that purpose.
(Ord. O2013-005, Amended, 05/07/2013; Ord. O95-034, Amended, 10/17/1995; Ord. 869, Added, 03/18/1980)
13.18.070 Lien.
All charges for utilities supplied to a premises shall be a lien against the premises and chargeable to the owner or any person having an interest in the premises for the full period permitted by law.
(Ord. O2013-005, Amended, 05/07/2013; Ord. O95-034, Amended, 10/17/1995; Ord. 869, Added, 03/18/1980)
13.18.080 Utility arbitrator.
The mayor shall appoint a utility arbitrator(s) who shall be the designated person or persons who will hear utility customer complaints involving billing disputes. The utility arbitrator(s) shall review such disputes and make such determinations as appropriate. Appeals of the determinations of the arbitrator(s) shall be made in writing to the city administrator. Such appeals shall specify the grounds for appeal and shall be filed with the finance director within fifteen days of the arbitrator(s)’ determination.
(Ord. O2013-005, Amended, 05/07/2013; Ord. O95-034, Amended, 10/17/1995; Ord. 869, 03/18/1980)
13.18.090 Life-line, low-income senior citizen and low-income disabled person rate discounts.
A. Qualified Person. Every single person, sixty-two years of age or older, and every single person substantially and permanently disabled, residing in a dwelling unit that is separately metered for water usage, either as owner, purchaser or renter, whose combined disposable income as defined in RCW 84.36.383(5) is less than the tax-exemption qualifying amount set forth in RCW 84.36.381(5)(b)(ii) and as now or hereafter amended, shall qualify for a low-income senior/disabled person rate.
B. Qualified Couple. Every married couple, constituting a marital community, residing in a dwelling unit either as owner, purchaser or renter, and both spouses being sixty-two years of age or older, or one person being substantially and permanently disabled while the other spouse is over the age of sixty-two, or both spouses are substantially and permanently disabled, and whose combined disposable income as defined in RCW 84.36.383(5) is less than the tax exemption qualifying amount set forth in RCW 84.36.381(5)(a), shall qualify for the low-income senior/disabled citizen rate.
C. Every such person (if married, then either spouse) meeting the requirements of subsection A or B of this section shall file with the finance department his or her statement, under oath, that he/she/they is/are qualified for the special rate hereinafter stated. Such statement shall contain other information as the city’s finance director may prescribe, including address, ownership or interest in the dwelling occupied by such applicant(s), amount, source and nature of all income from any and all sources, together with the applicant’s qualified promise to promptly notify the city of any circumstances or changes in conditions which would make the applicant(s) ineligible for said special rate(s).
D. Provided further, persons or couples otherwise qualifying as set forth above, but whose dwelling unit is not separately metered for water usage may qualify for a sewer only discount if the following additional criteria are met:
1. The resident or qualified couple who actually occupy the dwelling unit must meet the income and/or disability requirements set forth above.
2. The owner/landlord must agree in writing to continue to be the customer of the utility for billing/payment purposes.
3. If the actual occupant or occupants of the dwelling unit are lessees or renters, the owner/landlord shall agree in writing that the total dollar value of the rate reduction must be passed through to them in its entirety.
4. The owner/landlord (i.e., utility customer) must agree in writing to administer the rate discount billing/payment process in accordance with the process and procedures promulgated by the city’s director of finance.
E. Every qualified person or couple on file with the city utility billing section shall receive a discount of fifty percent on utility rates.
(Ord. O2013-005, Amended, 05/07/2013; Ord. O95-034, Amended, 10/17/1995; Ord. O94-033, Amended, 09/20/1994; Ord. 1342, Added, 10/06/1992)