ORDINANCE NO. 8931

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF LAWRENCE,

KANSAS AMENDING SECTIONS 19-304, 19-311,

AND 19-316 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY

 OF LAWRENCE, KANSAS CONCERNING

SERVICE CHARGES

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF LAWRENCE, KANSAS:

Section 1.  Chapter 19, Article 3, Section 304, of the City Code of the City of Lawrence, Kansas is hereby amended to read as follows:

19.304. SAME; INSPECTION.  The City shall keep all water meters in proper working condition.  There will be a service charge of $25 to the customer on all water meters that are inspected and tested unless the test indicates an inaccurate recording of the water consumed.

Section 2.  Chapter 19, Article 3, Section 311, of the City Code of the City of Lawrence, Kansas is hereby amended to read as follows:

19.311. SAME; DELINQUENT ACCOUNT, TRIP CHARGE.  If any bill for water or sanitary sewer service remains unpaid for forty (40) days following rendition of the bill, water service to the customer may be disconnected.  Not less than ten (10) days prior to any such disconnection, the customer shall be informed in writing of the right to a hearing to present matters relating to the unpaid bill to a responsible employee of the Finance Department authorized to resolve such matters.  If the customer requests a hearing, it shall be held within seven (7) days of the rendition of the notice of the possible action and notice of a right to a hearing.  Once the customer has requested a hearing, no disconnection of service may take place until the hearing is held, unless the customer fails to appear at the hearing.

In order to compensate the City for costs incurred in processing a disconnection notice, a service charge of $25 will be assessed to the customer if City personnel arrive at the service address to disconnect the service, regardless of whether the service is actually disconnected.  If water service is disconnected, it shall not be reconnected until all past due bills for water, sanitary sewer service, solid waste, and storm water services together with a service charge of $25 to reconnect the service plus any deposits not collected are paid or an agreement to pay is in place.

Section 3. Chapter 19, Article 3, Section 316, of the City Code of the City of Lawrence, Kansas is hereby amended to read as follows:

19.316. AFTER HOURS SERVICE CHARGE.  The City will provide service after regular office hours and on holidays and weekends for water-related emergency situations.  This service is provided at no charge to the customer.  Non-emergency service calls requested after regular office hours and on holidays and weekends will require a $30 service charge.  This charge is in addition to any other charges due.  Examples of non-emergency service calls are requests for water service to be connected or disconnected, re-connection service after it has been disconnected because of non-payment of the bill, receipt of an insufficient check or if service was not connected because the customer failed to be at the address at during a scheduled appointment time period.

Section 4.  Sections 19-304, 19-311, and 19-316 of the Code of the City of Lawrence, Kansas, 2013 Edition, are hereby repealed it being the intent of this ordinance to supersede the repealed provisions.

Section 5.  This ordinance shall be effective on and after publication as provided by law.

Adopted by the City Commission this ____________ day of _______________, 2013.

APPROVED:

                                                                                                                ______________________________

Michael Dever, Mayor

ATTEST:

__________________________________

Jonathan Douglas, City Clerk

Approved as to legal form:

____________________________________

Toni Wheeler, City Attorney