(1) The mayor, or his designee, is empowered to resolve billing disputes up to $300.00 upon receipt of a written request to do so from a town utility customer. Upon receipt of such notice from the customer, the mayor, or his designee, shall review the bill with the customer to see if the amount is justly owed. The customer shall have the right to have a meeting to bring forth reasons and evidence why such bill should not be due and owing. All disputes not resolved by the mayor may be appealed to the council at the next regular council meeting following the mayor’s decision. The council’s decision shall be final.

(2) Utility customers are allowed an adjustment to their water utility bill due to undetected leaks. If the applicant states that there was a faulty pipe and/or fixture on the customer’s premises which caused a large consumption of water, the existence of a faulty pipe and/or fixture shall be verified by inspection by public works employees and/or by documentary and/or photographic proof supplied by the customer. If the repair was made without an inspection, the town may determine if a leak existed and was repaired by using the customer account consumption history.

If it is established by inspection or documentation that such faulty pipe and/or fixture has been repaired, a reduction of the bill for a single billing cycle to an amount that is the average of the same three months of the prior year’s billings shall be made, the amount not to exceed $300.00 in any case. The reduction provided for in this section shall not be allowed if such excess water consumption is due to a customer’s neglect or continued failure to repair the faulty pipe and/or fixture.

Such a reduction in billing shall be permitted only two times in any calendar decade for any property (two reductions per decade per metered account, regardless of the customer responsible for the account). Each calendar decade shall begin January 1st of the year ending in zero and end December 31st of the year ending in nine (for example, January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2029; January 1, 2030, through December 31, 2039; and so on), with the date of each reduction based upon the date the application is received by the town.

(3) The mayor, or his designee, is empowered to approve account payment extension agreements upon receipt of a written request to do so from a town utility customer. Upon receipt of such notice from the customer, the mayor, or his designee, shall review the customer’s account to ensure an extension is found to be appropriate and as to only enter into an agreement that would require the account be paid in full within no more than six months of said agreement. Any requests made outside of these terms must be submitted to council for prior approval.

(4) Review of adjustments on utility accounts in any amount, other than the standard late fee waivers (up to $30.00), shall be performed by the council member finance and budget liaison during monthly reviews and approved by signature.

(5) The town staff shall furnish any and all adjustment records upon request, including the standard adjustment(s) listed in subsection (4) of this section.

(6) The town staff shall use their best judgment and investigate and review requests thoroughly prior to processing any adjustments or entering into any agreements. Staff shall submit to council any requests received that they feel uncomfortable processing without the verbal approval from council, including those submitted by themselves, any staff, family members, or any other known persons that may be a conflict of interest.

(7) The application by the customer shall be on the forms provided by the town. (Ord. 670 § 1, 2023; Ord. 662 § 6, 2022; Ord. 621 § 1, 2019; Ord. 593, 2017; Ord. 582 § 3, 2016; Ord. 550 § 2, 2012)