22-1858ORDINANCE NO. 22-1858
AN ORDrNANCE OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS PROVIDING FOR THE SCHEDULEOF MISCELLANEOUS FEES, DEPOSITS, BILLINGS AND PROCEDURES FORADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES TO CITY UTILITIES CUSTOMERS; SUPERSEDING ALLPRiOR ORDINANCES ESTABLISHING FEES IN CONFLICT WITH SUCH SCHEDULE;PROVIDING FOR A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND, PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVEDATE
THE COUNCil OF THE CITY OF DENTON HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION 1. That the schedule of charges for administrative 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 established as follows:
SERVICE CHARGES AND PROCEDURES SCHEDULES
A ACCOUNT CONNECTION AND RECONNECTION CHARGES PAGE
3Meter Connection Charge
Meter Reconnection Process Charge 3
4
5
Unauthorized Usage Penalty
New Customer Application Charge
B METER CUARGES
Meter Reading
Meter Testing
Meter Tampering or Meter Damage Charge
Meter Inaccessibility Charge
C MISCELLANEOUS FEES, CHARGES AND DEPOSITS
Returned Payment Charge
Service Deposits
Waiver of Service Deposits
Late Payment Charge Due on Delinquent Balances
1
Interest Charge on Past Due Account Balance
Interest Earned on Contract Retainage 10
ACCOUNT CONNECTION AND RECONNECTION PROCESS CHARGES
For the purposes of this fee schedule, business hours shall be defined as Monday through Friday,8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
METER CONNECTION CHARGE
APPLICATION
A Meter Connection Charge is 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 an electric or water meter must be installed or activatedfor readiness.
A “Non-Standard Electric Meter” is an electric meter that does not have the ability or capability
to integrate with the advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) meter reading system. Examples
would be older mechanical meters, solid state meters without an AMI module and one-way RF
transmit meters. Non-Standard Electric Meters have to be read manually.
NEW SERVICE CHARGES
All Meters except for Non-Standard Electric Meter
First Service Requested $23.00
$30.00First Service Requested, guaranteed
same day service
(in addition to first service requested fee)
Non-Standard Electric Meter
First Service Requested $131.00
$ 176.00First Service Requested, guaranteed
same day service
METER RECONNECTION PROCESS CHARGE
APPLICATION
Applicable when a customer’s account is processed for disconnection due to nonpayment.
3
DELINQUENT AND RECONNECT CHARGES
Residential Delinquent Service Fee $23.00
(When service is disconnected at the electric socket or water meter)
Commercial Delinquent Service Fee $46.00
(When service is disconnected at the electric socket or water meter)
Delinquent Service Fee $ 168.00
(When a service truck is required or the water meter has been removed)
Residential Reconnect Charge, guaranteed same day service
(in addition to delinquent service fees)
$30.00
Commercial Reconnect Charge, guaranteed same day service
(in addition to delinquent service fees)
$61.00
Reconnect Charge, guaranteed same day service $231.00
(When a service truck is required or the water meter has been removed)
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
$61 .00Return Trip Charge after business hours
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 CUSTOMER APPLICATION FEE
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
New Commercial Customer Application Charge
$3.00
$16.00
METER CHARGES
METER READING
APPLICATION
Additional Meter Reading Fee is 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. Manual reading fee is applicable to any electric customer who
requests a Non-Standard Electric Meter. A “Non-Standard Electric Meter” is an electric meter that
does not have the ability or capability to integrate with the AMI meter reading system. Examples
would be older mechanical meters, solid state meters without an AMI module and one-way radio
frequency (RF) transmit meters; these meters have to be read manually.
CHARGE
Per Additional Reading $46.00
Manual Reading of Non-Standard Electric Meter $30.00 per each billing cycle
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 $62.00/KWH Electric Meter
$93.00/KW/KWH Electric Meter$93.00 Water Meter
5
ACCURACY STANDARDS
A meter is defined as being within accuracy standards when found to be plus or minus two percent(2%) or less of true value at a full load.
METER TAMPERING AND DAMAGE CHARGE
APPLICATION
Applicable to any person that tampers with, damages, or illegally connects to a city electric, water,
or wastewater utility system.
CHARGE
Per Event
Per Event $3 10.00 minimum per electric connection per system
$200.00 minimum per water connection per system
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 $46.00
MISCELLANEOUS FEES. CHARGES, AND DEPOSITS
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
APPLICATION
Applicable when a residential customer requests utility service in the City of Denton service areaand does not either have twelve (12) months of good credit standing with the City of Denton or
demonstrate 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 demonstrate a passing credit rating through an external credit
reporting agency. Not applicable when a commercial customer provides an irrevocable letter of
credit acceptable to the City of Denton as security for payment.
CHARGE
Residential Customer An amount up to 1/6 of the last 12 months ofbilling at the service location. If utility
service is disconnected for non-payment, or
an additional deposit is required pursuant to
Chapter 26 of the Code of the City of Denton,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.
Commercial Customer An amount up to 1/6 of the last 12 months ofbilling at the service location. If utility
service is disconnected for non-payment, or
an additional deposit is required pursuant to
Chapter 26 of the Code of the City of Denton,
then the customer will be required to pay a
deposit sum up to 1/6 of the last 12 months ofbilling at the service location.
7
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 April 1 ofeach 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. 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 tothe customer’s account.
WAIVER OF SERVICE DEPOSITS
For purposes of the exemptions from deposit, “acceptable credit rating” shall mean a credit rating
which is based upon a commonly used formula or a formula approved by the City Council.
Residential exemption from deposit. No service deposit will be required of an applicant for
residential utility service if the applicant can provide and qualify for one (1) of the following:
(1) The applicant has an acceptable credit rating for twelve (12) consecutive months
within the last two (2) years with the city utility system.
(2) The customer receives an acceptable credit rating from a credit source available to the
city. The customer must pay the cost of obtaining the credit rating. This cost will be setannually within the utility rate ordinance, but will not exceed one hundred dollars
($ 100.00).
(3) Customers with little credit history or a fair credit rating may be allowed to provide
one of the following alternatives in lieu of deposit:
a. A signed letter of good standing for utility services from a former utility
company for verification within twenty (20) days of applying for service;or
b.The applicant provides a cosigner who accepts responsibility and is verified
to have an acceptable credit rating with the city utility system, and who is
willing to be listed on the applicant’s account to guarantee payment of the
applicant’s utility bills. This guarantee will be in effect until the applicant
develops an acceptable credit rating and the cosigner requests removal fromthe account.
(4) Customer is participating in a verifiable permanent supportive or rapid rehousing
program and provides a dated and completed certification letter upon applying for utilityservIces.
(5) Customer has been qualified as a Victim of Family Violence and provides a dated and
completed certification letter upon application for utility services. 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,
8
provided by one of the certifying entities to the Utilities Customer Service Department. Ifa 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 bewaived 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.99
(6) Customer signs up for auto pay and maintains an acceptable credit rating for twelve
( 12) consecutive months.
Commercial exemption fom deposit . An applicant for utility service for a commercial or industrial
entity or business may not be required to make a deposit if the applicant:
(1) Provides the city an acceptable commercial/industrial credit rating for the last twenty-
four (24) months the customer received service from the city utility system; or
(2) The customer receives an acceptable credit rating from a credit source available to the
city. The customer must pay the cost of obtaining the credit rating. This cost will be set
annually within the utility rate ordinance, but will not exceed one hundred dollars
($ 100.00).
(3) if the credit of a commercial/industrial customer for service has not been established
satisfactorily to the city, the applicant may provide an irrevocable letter of credit in lieu of
a deposit within twenty (20) days of signing for service. The irrevocable letter of credit
must be executed by a Texas bank and must be approved by the city manager and city
attorney. The customer must maintain the irrevocable letter of credit in effect at all times.If the customer allows the irrevocable letter of credit to expire, the customer shall pay a
deposit in the amount provided as listed above, or the city may terminate utility service.
LATE PAYMENT CHARGE DUE ON DELINQUENT BALANCES
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. Late payment charges will notcontinue to be assessed once an account is closed.
CHARGE $20.00 1ate payment charge
INTEREST CHARGE ON PAST DUE ACCOUNT BALANCE
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. Interest charges will not
9
continue to be assessed once an account is closed. The interest provided for and assessed herein
shall be due and payable on the due date of the current month’s billing statement.
CHARGE
If1% / month on all past
unpaid at the timecalculation.# #
iharges
re
and account balances
current month’s billing
++Under no circumstances shall the interest charge provided for herein ex'
so, the charge is inadvertent, and the City intends only to assess, charge
highest lawful rate.
Fthe le,coII
rate of interest. To the extent that it does
such interest rate that does not exceed the
SECTION 2. Ordinance No. 2018-1494, Ordinance No. 2015-295 and Ordinance No.
2016-276 and all other prior conflicting fee schedules are hereby superseded and repealed, but
only insofar as the portion of such prior ordinance shall be in conflict; and as to all other sections
of the ordinance not in direct conflict herewith, this ordinance shall be and is hereby made
cumulative except as to such prior ordinances or portions thereof as are expressly repealed hereby.
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, and shall apply to all services
occurring, on and after October 1, 2022; and a copy of said fees and charges shall be maintained
on file in the Office of the City Secretary of Denton, Texas.
10
The motion to approve this Ordinance was made
seconded by A Itsor\ MeRU jre ; thethe following vote El - a] :
VI'aki By and
Ordinance was passed'Id approved by
Aye
,/
Z
-L
d’
/’
t/
b/
Nay Abstain Absent
Gerard Hudspeth , Mayor:
Vicki Byrd , District 1 :
Brian Beck . District 2:
Jesse Davis . District 3
Alison Maguire , District 4:
Brandon Chase McGee , At Large Place 5:
Chris Watts , At Large Place 6:
PASSED AND APPROVED this the JK day of &#MM _,2022 .
By: , J&z? .d=
ATTEST
ROSA RIOS , CITY SECRETARY ,\11111111
APPROVED AS TO LEGAL FORM:MACK REINWAND . CITY ATTORNEY
11