2006-263FILE REFERENCE FORM 2006-263
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Amended by Ordinance No. 2007-212 09/25/07 J R
ORDINANCE NO. 2006- Zf; 3
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS PROVIDING FOR THE
AMENDMENT TO THE SCHEDULE OF MISCELLANEOUS FEES, DEPOSITS, BILLINGS
AND PROCEDURES FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES TO CITY CUSTOMERS AND
TAXPAYERS CONTAINED IN ORDINANCE NO. 2005-254 AND ALSO AS AMENDED
DURING PREVIOUS FY 2005-2006; BY AMENDING THE ELECTRIC METER
INSTALLATION CHARGE; CANCELLING THE ELECTRIC AND WATER METER
CONNECTION CHARGE BY INSTEAD ADDING THE METER CONNECTION CHARGE
AND THE METER RECONNECTION CHARGE; PROVIDING FOR A REPEALER;
PROVIDING FOR A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND 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:
SERVICE CHARGES AND PROCEDURES SCHEDULES
A.
ACCOUNT CONNECTION AND RECONNECTION CHARGES
PAGE
Electric Meter Installation Charge
3
Meter Connection Charge
3
Meter Reconnection Charge
4
Unauthorized Usage Penalty
4
B. METER CHARGES
Meter Reading
5
Meter Testing
5
Meter Tampering and/or Damage Charge
5
Meter Inaccessibility Charge
6
I
C. MISCELLANEOUS FEES. CHARGES AND DEPOSITS
Returned Payment Charge 7
Service Deposits 7
Waiver of Service Deposits 8
Late Payment Charge Due on Delinquent Balances 8
Interest Charge on Past Due Account Balance 9
Credit Report Charge 9
2
ACCOUNT CONNECTION AND RECONNECTION CHARGES
(Effective 10/0 1/06)
For the purposes of this rate schedule, business hours shall be defined as Monday through
Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
ELECTRlC METER INSTALLATION CHARGE
APPLICATION
Applicable when a customer requests electric service on a first time basis where no permanent
service previously existed and where a new account number is established.
CHARGE
First Service Requested
$ 22.00
First Service Requested for
connection at the meter and
guaranteed same day service
or after business hours
$ 55.00
First Service Requested for
connection at the transformer and
guaranteed same day service
or after business hours
$145.00
METER CONNECTION CHARGE
APPLICATION
Applicable 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
$ 22.00
First Service Requested, guaranteed
same day service or after business
hours
$ 55.00
3
METER RECONNECTION CHARGE
APPLICATION
Applicable when a customer's account is processed for disconnection due to nonpayment.
CHARGE
Delinquent Service Charge $ 30.00
(When service is disconnected at the meter socket, there is no reconnection charge unless
Same Day or After Hours reconnection is required)
Meter Reconnection Charge $110.00
(When service is disconnected at the transformer)
Meter Reconnection Charge $ 55.00
(Guaranteed same day service
or after business hours when service is
disconnected at the meter socket.)
Meter Reconnection Charge $145.00
(Guaranteed same day service
or after business hours when service is
disconnected at the transformer)
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
$ 30.00
Return Trip Charge after business hours
$ 55.00
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
4
METER CHARGES
(Effective 10/01106)
METER 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
$ 25.00
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
$ 27.00/kWh Electric Meter
$ 38.00/kW/kWh Electric Meter
ACCURACY STANDARDS
A meter is defined as within accuracy standards when found to be plus or minus two percent
(2%) or less.
METER TAMPERING AND/OR 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
$200.00 mInImum per connection
per system
5
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
$ 38.00
6
MISCELLANEOUS FEES, CHARGES, AND DEPOSITS
(Effective 10/01/06)
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 area
and does not have twelve (12) months of good credit standing with the City of Denton or another
utility system for the type of service requested, or does not have a co-signer with twelve (12)
months of good credit standing with the City of Denton, or does not request and demonstrate a
passing credit rating through a 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 a commercial letter of good credit from another utility
system. Not applicable when a commercial customer provides an irrevocable letter of credit to
the City of Denton as security for payment.
CHARGE
Residential Customer
$150.00 or an amount equal to 1/6 of the last
12 months of billing at the service location.
If utility service is disconnected for non-
payment, then the customer will be required
to pay a deposit sum up to but not greater
than 1/6 of the last 12 months of billing at
the service location.
Commercial Customer
$300.00 or an amount equal to 1/6 of the last
12 months of billing at the service location,
whichever is greater. If utility service is
disconnected for non-payment, then the
customer will be required to pay a deposit
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sum equal 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 I and 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.
B. The deposit shall cease to earn interest on the date it is returned or credited to the
customer's account.
WAIVER OF SERVICE 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, 971.004, 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."
LATE PAYMENT CHARGE DUE ON DELINOUENT 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.
$10.00 late payment charge
CHARGE
8
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. The interest provided for
and assessed herein shall be due and payable on the due date of the current month's billing
statement.
CHARGE
I % I month on all past due charges and account balances
unpaid at the time ofthe 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 ratc.
CREDIT REPORT CHARGE
APPLICATION
This fee is applicable if the customer: (a) cannot provide a satisfactory credit rating through
previous service history with Denton Municipal Utilities or another utility service; or (b) cannot
provide the city with a qualified co-signer, and (c) provides written authorization for the city to
obtain a credit rating from a credit source available to the city.
CHARGE
Charge per credit report
$13.00
9
SECTION 2. That all ordinances or parts of ordinances in force when the provisions of this
ordinance became effective which are inconsistent or in conflict with the terms of provisions
contained in the amended schedule of rates hereby enacted by this ordinance, are hereby repealed to
the extent of any such conflict.
SECTION 3. That 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. That this ordinance shall become effective, charged and applied to all
miscellaneous fees, deposits, billings and procedures for administrative services occurring on and
after October I, 2006; and a copy of said rates, fees, and charges shall be maintained on file in the
Office of the City Secretary of Denton, Texas.
PASSED AND APPROVED this the Zc, f2tday of
, )e:IOt-e In be' r
I
2006.
vYu~
ATTEST:
JENNIFER WALTERS, CITY SECRETARY
APPROVED AS TO LEGAL FORM:
EDWIN M. SNYDER, CITY ATTORNEY
By 10lliY~ ~
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