§ 50.006. PAYMENT OF BILLS; COLLECTION CHARGE; INSUFFICIENT FUNDS.

(A) Electric service bills are issued monthly. They are due upon receipt, and are payable to the cashier at the office of the utility during regular office hours. All other employees of the city or utility are expressly prohibited from receiving payments for utility bills.

(B) If payment is not made on or before 15 days from the date of the bill, the account is then delinquent and the collection charge in the amount of 10% of the first $3 of the bill plus 3% of the excess of $3 as provided in the rate subchapter is applicable. If payment is not made within the next five days, the customer is informed by mail that the service is subject to disconnection, without further notice.

(C) In case of disconnection for nonpayment of the bill, the customer will not be reconnected until he has paid the reconnection charge plus all amounts owed to the utility, or make an arrangement for their payment which is satisfactory to the utility.

(D) The utility shall not be required to restore service on the date delinquent bills are paid unless the payment is made prior to 2:00 p.m. of this same day. When payment of delinquent bills is made after 2:00 p.m., the service will not be restored until after 8:00 a.m. on the next work day.

(E) In addition to rates for service, when it is necessary for an employee of the electric utility to go to a consumer's premises to collect a delinquent bill, a collection charge of $10 will be made.

(F) When a check that was received in payment of a consumer’s account is returned unpaid by the bank for any reason (not the fault of the electric utility) the consumer shall be assessed a handling charge of $30 for each check returned by the bank.

(Ord. 1988-20, passed 9-8-88; Am. Ord. 1993-8, passed 8-26-93; Am. Ord. 2007-4, passed 6-28-07)