Sunny Meadows

1-2010-Water Rate
  

—

by

mike

SUNNY MEADOWS MISSOULA COUNTY WATER AND SEWER DISTRICT

ORDINANCE NO. 1-2010

AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE RATES/FEES FOR WATER AND SEWER USAGE OF THE SUNNY MEADOWS MISSOULA COUNTY WATER AND SEWER DISTRICT:

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

ARTICLE I

General

  1. It is determined and declared to be necessary to collect charges from customers to provide the funds needed to pay for operation and maintenance expenses associated with providing water services to the District customers. Charges shall be in conformance with the provisions of this ordinance; provided, however that such charges are subject to change by action of the Board of Directors; provided further, that if at any time the Board of Directors determines that the total amount derived from the collection of charges is insufficient for the payment of operations, maintenance including replacement reserves, and repayment of any debt owed by the District, the Board shall increase the minimum water rate for the first month and each month thereafter in an amount sufficient to pay such operating and maintenance costs including system replacement reserve funds, plus repayment of any debt owed by the District.

  2. The District shall review the user charge system annually and revise rates as necessary to ensure that the system generates adequate revenues to pay the costs of operations and maintenance, including replacement, and repayment of any debt owed by the District.

  3. A “user” is defined for the purposes of this ordinance as the owner of any residence within the District’s boundaries to which a service line has been extended.

ARTICLE II

Billing Rates and Fees

  1. The District will invoice the users for their water and sewer usage. Invoicing will be done at the end of the following months: January (for the period November – January), April (for the period February – April), May, June, July, August, September, and October. Sewer bills will be charged quarterly at the end of January, April, July, and October.

  2. The District has established Water Rates for the Months of May, June, July, August, September, and October. During this period each year, the basic rate for water usage will be $60 (sixty dollars), which will include hookup fees and usage of up to 20,000 (twenty thousand) gallons of water during that period. Usage over the allowed amount during each period will be billed at $0.10 (ten cents) per 100 (one hundred) gallons for the first 10,000 (ten thousand) gallons used, $0.20 (twenty cents) per 100 (one hundred) gallons for the next 10,000 (ten thousand) gallons used, and $0.30 (thirty cents) per 100 (one hundred) gallons for all remaining usage.

  3. The District has established Water Rates for the bills issued during the months of January and April. For the two bills issued in these months, the basic rate for water usage will be $180 (one hundred eighty dollars), which will include hookup fees and usage of up to 60,000 (sixty thousand) gallons of water during that period. Usage over the allowed amount during each period will be billed at $0.10 (ten cents) per 100 (one hundred) gallons for the first 30,000 (thirty thousand) gallons used, $0.20 (twenty cents) per 100 (one hundred) gallons for the next 30,000 (thirty thousand) gallons used, and $0.30 (thirty cents) per 100 (one hundred) gallons for all remaining usage.

  4. A surcharge shall be paid by those using the booster station to receive their water. This surcharge is established at 10% (ten percent) of the basic rate for water usage.

  5. Sewer rates will be $44 (forty-four dollars) every 3 months. Sewer usage shall be billed as follows: January – March usage shall be billed at the end of January; April – June usage shall be billed at the end of April; July – September usage shall be billed at the end of July; and October – December usage shall be billed at the end of October.

  6. Hookup Fees: The fee for connecting a hookup to the District’s water system is currently $2,200 (two thousand two hundred dollars). On January 1st of each year, starting in 2011, this amount will increase by $300 (three hundred dollars), until 2027. This is to insure that the system upgrade costs currently being borne by the users of the system are fairly allocated to those hooking up to the system in the future. Further, any costs associated with hooking up to the system, including, but not limited to : construction costs, disinfection, testing, engineering, certification, inspections, etc., will be borne by the user hooking up to the system.

  7. Non-readable meters: Users of the system are responsible for ensuring access to the remote read device for our meter reader. Failure to maintain such access, or any other interference with the District’s ability to read the meter, will result in the District assessing a bill of $120 (one hundred twenty dollars) per period, unless the period is ending in January or April, in which case the bill for that period will be $60 (sixty dollars) per month. Failure to ensure a readable meter in 2 (two) successive periods is cause for termination of service, and standard disconnection/reconnection fees (See Article II, Section 9) would apply.

  8. Non-working meters: If a meter owned by the District is determined to be malfunctioning, the District will coordinate with the owner to repair or replace the meter in accordance with the District’s Meter Maintenance Policy. In the event that actual usage cannot be determined for a District-owned meter user, their bill will be calculated using the average usage of the same period for the previous 2 years, for that service location. Failure by the user to work with the District to replace the meter in a timely fashion may result in additional fees, see the District’s current Meter Maintenance Policy. Repeated failure to work with the District in order to replace or repair a failed meter may be cause for termination of service, and standard disconnection/reconnection fees (See Article II, Section 9) would apply.

  9. Disconnection and Reconnection fees: As both disconnecting and reconnecting a user to the system incur costs to the district in both time and money, it is necessary for the district to charge a fee to recoup its costs. If a user is disconnected for any reason, they shall be charged $150 (one hundred fifty dollars), plus any actual costs incurred (including, but not limited to : excavation to locate curb stop, curb stop repair/replacement, testing, inspections, certification, etc.) to disconnect from the system. The user will also be charged an additional $150 (one hundred fifty dollars), plus any actual costs incurred (including, but not limited to : testing, inspections, certification, etc.) to reconnect to the system. No reconnection will be allowed until all delinquent bills, charges, interest, the disconnection and reconnection fees and costs are all received by the District. No payments shall be made directly to the operator or person disconnecting or connecting the water service. All payments shall be made to Post Office Box 9125 (See Article III, Section 2 of Ordinance #1-2008).

  10. Late Payment fees: As customers will from time to time be late in paying their charges, and as these late payments incur costs to the district in both time and money, it is necessary for the district to charge a late payment fee to recoup those costs. The first 2 times in a calendar year that a user is late paying their bill, the late payment fee will be $10/month late. After the second late payment in a single calendar year, that user will be assessed a late payment fee of $25/month late, for each subsequent late payment. In addition to late fees, all past due amounts will be subject to interest at a rate of 1.5% (one point five percent) per month.

  11. Payment for services:

    1. Payment for services is due upon receipt of invoice and payable to Sunny Meadows Missoula County Water and Sewer District, Post Office Box 9125, Missoula, Montana 59807. Payments received at this Post Office Box will be credited to accounts upon receipt. Payments shall be considered Past Due if not postmarked within 30 days of issue.

    2. All bills not paid within 90 (ninety) days shall be termed delinquent, and the District shall serve on the customer a written final notice of said delinquency. If a delinquent bill is not paid within ten (10) days after date of such final notice, the water supply to the customer shall be discontinued without further notice. The standard disconnection and reconnection fees (see Article II, Section 9) shall be applied if the water supply is discontinued, prior to water service being restored.

ARTICLE III

Ordinance in Force

  1. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force on May 1, 2010.

FIRST READING: January 7th, 2010

SECOND READING: February 4th, 2010

THIRD READING: MARCH 4th, 2010

Mike Lilley moved to adopt Ordinance #1-2010 as read the required three times.

Mike Huber seconded the motion.

 

AYE: Mike Huber, Mike Lilley, Tom Walter, Cynthia Winchell

 

 

NAY: N/A

 

 

PASSED AND APPROVED, this 4th day of March, 2010.

 

 

________________________________________________

Cyndie Winchell, President

 

 

ATTEST:

 

 

_____________________________________________

 

Michael Lilley, Treasurer