2015-295
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AmendedbyOrdinanceNo.201627609/20/16JR
RepealedbyOrdinanceNo.1833203/20/18JR
ORDINANCE No 2015 -295
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS PROVIDING FOR THE
SCHEDULE OF MISCELLANEOUS FEES, DEPOSITS, BILLINGS AND PROCEDURES
FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES TO CITY UTILITIES CUSTOMERS CONTAINED IN
ORDINANCE NO. 2014-286; PROVIDING FOR A REPEALER; PROVIDING FOR A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DENTON HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION " " 1. That the schedule of charges for general utility services as generally
provided for in Chapter 26 of the Code of Ordinances; and for services to other City of Denton
customers and taxpayers, are hereby established as follows:
A. AND 10'CONN.1"CITION CIJARGES PAGE
Meter Connection Charge 3
Meter Reconnection Process Charge 3
Unauthorized Usage Penalty 4
New Customer Application Charge 4
B. METER CHARGES
Meter Reading 5
Meter Testing 5
Meter Tampering and/or Damage Charge 5
Meter Inaccessibility Charge 6
C. MISCELLANEOUS PEES,
LTIMIQ- AND DEPOSIT'SS,
Returned Payment Charge 7
Service Deposits 7
Waiver of Service Deposits 8
Late Payment Charge Due on Delinquent Balances 8
1
Interest Charge on Past Due Account Balance
Interest Earned on Contract Retainage
Credit Card Processing Service Fee
A(' )IJN "1 (' ��N 1wf,.l I ON ACSf) R1','CONNl7 "C"110N l"ROC SS `1I Al fPiE
(Effective 10101115)
For the purposes of this rate schedule, business hours shall be defined as Monday through
Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
METER CONNECTION CHARGE
APPLICATION
Applicable when a customer requests service on a first time basis where no permanent service
previously existed and where a new account number is established or, when a customer requests
service at an address which has existing or previous service, with an existing account number
and history, and the electric and /or water meter must be installed or activated for readiness.
CHARGE
First Service Requested $23.00
First Service Requested, guaranteed $61.00
same day service
First Service Requested, after $61.00
business hours
METER RECONNECTION PROCESS CHARGE
APPLICATION
Applicable when a customer's account is processed for disconnection due to nonpayment.
CHARGE
Delinquent Service Fee $46.00
(When service is disconnected at the electric meter socket or the water meter)
Delinquent Service Fee $168.00
(When a service truck is required or the water meter has been removed)
Reconnect Charge, guaranteed same day service
(In addition to delinquent service fees) $61.00
3
Reconnect Charge, guaranteed same day service
(When a service truck is required
or the water meter has been removed) $231.00
When more than one trip, within twenty -four (24) hours, is required to restore a customer's
service, a Return Trip Charge, in addition to the Reconnection Charge, shall be applied for each
additional trip.
Return Trip Charge during business hours $23.00
Return Trip Charge after business hours $61.00
UNAUTHORIZED USAGE PENALTY
APPLICATION
Applicable to any customer that fails to request connection of services within 24 hours of
occupancy in a new service location.
CHARGE
Unauthorized Usage Penalty $30.00
NEW (,jjS°I��oM1"',' APPLICA° [ON F k:
APPLICATION
Applicable when a customer requests new service or is added to an existing account and provides
Social Security or Tax ID information to verify identity and credit history.
CHARGE
New Residential Customer Application Charge - per person $3.00
New Commercial Customer Application Charge $16.00
rd
METER CHARGES
(Effective 10101115)
ETER.READING
APPLICATION
Applicable to any electric or water utility customer who requests a reading of a city meter due to
a contested billing more than twice in the previous twelve (12) months, and no error is found.
CHARGE
Per Additional Reading
METER TESTING
APPLICATION
Applicable to any customer who requests the testing of a city meter previously tested within the
past four (4) years and the meter is found to be within accuracy standards.
CHARGE
Per Test
ACCURACY STANDARDS
$62.00 /KWH Electric Meter
$93.00 /KW /KWH Electric Meter
$93.00 Water Meter
A meter is defined as within accuracy standards when found to be plus or minus two percent
(2 %) or less.
ML,.. ..R .�:�" MP1..J� IN � ., D /O' DAMAGE (� ARf ,1
APPLICATION
Applicable to any person that tampers with, damages, or illegally connects to a city electric,
water, or wastewater utility system.
Per Event $310.00 minimum per electric connection per
system
Per Event $200.00 minimum per water connection per system
k,
METER INACCESSIBILITY CHARGE
APPLICATION
Applicable to any customer who prevents the regular and routine reading, maintenance, repair or
removal of any city meter due to inaccessibility of the meter.
CHARGE
Per event
C
$46.00
M1S(:`E 1,ANF_' 1J 1_S,.(HARG1. _ NQ 1)1.�t�ITS �
(Effective 10101115)
RETURNED PAYMENT CHARGE
APPLICATION
Applicable when a customer's or taxpayer's check, or money order, or bank draft for payment of
fees, fines, court costs, taxes, utilities, or other charges has been dishonored by the maker's bank
and returned to the City of Denton unpaid.
CHARGE
Per Check $27.00
SERVICE DEPOSITS
PLICATION
Applicable when a residential customer requests utility service in the City of Denton service area
and does not have twelve (12) months of good credit standing with the City of Denton or
demonstrates a passing credit rating through an external credit reporting agency.
Applicable when a commercial customer does not have twenty -four (24) months of good credit
standing with the City of Denton or demonstrates a passing credit rating through an external
credit reporting agency. Not applicable when a commercial customer provides an irrevocable
letter of credit to the City of Denton as security for payment.
CHARGE
Residential Customer
Commercial Customer
An amount up to 1/6 of the last 12 months of
billing at the service location. If utility
service is disconnected for non - payment or
the account is consistently past due, then the
customer will be required to pay a deposit
sum up to 1/6 of the last 12 months of
billing at the service location.
An amount up to 1/6 of the last 12 months of
billing at the service location. If utility
service is disconnected for non - payment or
the account is consistently past due, then the
customer will be required to pay a deposit
sum up to 1/6 of the last 12 months of
billing at the service location.
Deposits will earn interest for the customer. The applicable rate of interest will be adjusted
semi - annually to equal the rate of a one -year United States Treasury Note on October 1 and
VA
April 1 of each year. If refund of deposit is made within thirty (30) days of receipt of deposit,
no interest payment will be made. If the City retains the deposit more than thirty (30) days,
payment of interest, at the current rate, shall be made retroactive to the date the deposit was paid,
A. Payment of the interest to the customer shall be made at the time the deposit is returned
or credited to the customer's account.
& The deposit shall cease to earn interest on the date it is returned or credited to the
customer's account.
WAIVER OF Sl','RVICE DEPOSITS
APPLICATION
Applicable when an Applicant is a citizen of the City of Denton, Texas and who also is a "victim
of family violence," applies for utility service in the City of Denton, Texas. To be a qualified as
a "victim of family violence" an Applicant must secure and provide a certification letter,
provided by one of the certifying entities to the Utilities Customer Service Department.
If a proper, dated and completed certification letter is presented by or on behalf of the Applicant
to the Utilities Customer Service Department, and its issuance is verified by the Utilities
Customer Service Department, then the requirement of a utility deposit shall be waived for that
Applicant. This provision is applicable solely to "victims of family violence" as defined by
Texas Family Code, §71.004, as amended. No other relief from the City's utility rates, or
deposits, or charges, or fees is hereby provided to "victims of family violence."
I,_.ATE, f'A'�` Ml,N°l QlIARGE I UE, ON Q I. CN LJEN°1 BA1, ;NC
APPLICATION
To cover a portion of the administrative costs of collecting past due balances, a late payment
charge shall be assessed on the fifth business day following the due date.
CHARGE $20.00 late payment charge
lN"1 FAE' 1 C.. JARGE O PAST DUE ACC)1NT 13ALAW E 1
APPLICATION
Interest shall be assessed on any past due account balance (excluding late payment charges) that
remains unpaid at the time of the current month's billing calculation. The interest provided for
and assessed herein shall be due and payable on the due date of the current month's billing
statement.
CHARGE, 1 % / month on all past due charges and account balances
unpaid at the time of the current month's billing
calculation. * *
* *Under no circumstances shall the interest charge provided for herein exceed the legal rate of interest. To the extent that it
does so, the charge is inadvertent, and the City intends only to assess, charge and collect such interest rate that does not exceed
the highest lawful rate.
INTEREST C,AI N D ON CONTRACT 14JAINAGE
Contract retainage will earn interest for the contractor as provided by TEX. REV. CIV. STAT.
ANN. Article 6252, Sec.5b (Vernon Supp. 1992). The rate of interest will be adjusted semi-
annually to equal the interest rate of a one year United States Treasury Note on October 1 and
April 1 of each year. Payment of the interest shall be made at the time the retainage is paid to the
contractor.
QM,'I,w�'.lT ( 'IT Al N) 111 f�C EIS ING SERVI 1 lm.�
APPLICATION
Applicable when a non - residential customer remits payment for fees, fines, court costs, taxes,
utilities, or other charges using a credit card. Charge is assessed by the City of Denton's
payment processing vendor after the customer has confirmed the payment amount and authorized
the fee.
CHARGE
Per Payment Transaction 2.7% of the payment amount remitted using the non-
residential customer's credit card
6t
SEC 2. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in force when the provisions of this
TION
ordinance became effective which are inconsistent, or in conflict with the terms or provisions
contained in this ordinance are hereby repealed to the extent of any such conflict.
SECTION 3. If any section, subsection, paragraph, sentence, clause, phrase or word in
this ordinance, or application thereof to any person or circumstances is held invalid by any court
of competent jurisdiction, such holding shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of
this ordinance, and the City Council of the City of Denton, Texas, hereby declares it would have
enacted such remaining portions despite any such invalidity.
SECTION 4. This ordinance shall become effective, charged, and applied to all
services occurring on and after October 1, 2015; and a copy of said fees and charges shall be
maintained on file in the Office of the City Secretary of Denton, Texas.
PASSED AND APPROVED this the /, .. _ day of � �x 2015,
(. "h I WATTS, M ....A...
YOR
ATTEST:
JENNIFER WALTERS, CITY SECRETARY
By: ,a
APPROVED AS TO LEGAL FORM:
ANITA BURGESS, CITY AT 'OI�N[,'Y
10