TO: Mayor Collins and Town Council Members
FROM: Kevin Burke, Town Manager
Andrew M. Miller, Town Attorney
DATE: December 17, 2015
DEPARTMENT: Town Attorney
Staff Contact Andrew M. Miller, Town Attorney, 480-348-3691
End
AGENDA TITLE:
Title
Adoption of Ordinance Number 695 Providing for Full Recovery of Sewer Disconnection Costs
Body
Council Goals or Other Policies / Statutory Requirements:
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Adopt Ordinance Number 695
Background
SUMMARY STATEMENT:
There are multiple dated sewer service accounts that have proven very difficult to collect. Therefore, Town Staff is considering utilizing the existing provisions in §15-6-1 of the Town Code to disconnect the sewer service for some of the non-paying sewer service accounts. The Town Code currently provides that when a sewer customer refuses to pay sewer fees the Town may disconnect the sewer service by physically cutting and blocking the building connection to the Town sewer system. The Code also provides for notification of the sewer customer prior to the discontinuance of service and for a charge of $500 prior to reconnecting the sewer.
However, based on the expected costs to disconnect a sewer service, the current Code amount is not adequate to recoup the costs incurred for a sewer disconnection. Modifications to the current Town Sewer Code provisions are needed in order to bring the disconnection and reconnection costs and charges into a full recovery amount. After researching the likely costs for a sewer disconnection and reconnection, the Staff believes that the minimum cost, exclusive of Staff time, for a disconnection that does not involve cutting into the street or sidewalk, is over $2,000. Thus staff recommends amending the Code §15-6-1 in order to provide for a full cost recovery of any sewer disconnection and reconnection costs.
Ordinance 695 contains the following provisions:
• Once service is disconnected, it cannot be reestablished without resident paying all past due fees, service charges, additional deposit to reestablish sewer service, disconnection and reconnection fees and any other related expenses
• The flat $500 fee for reconnecting is removed and replaced by an administrative fee of $150.00 each for a disconnection and a reconnection along with recovery of the actual costs for any work associated with a disconnection and reconnection
It is respectfully recommended that the Town Council adopt Ordinance #695.
BUDGETARY IMPACT:
Full cost recovery of sewer disconnection-related costs; a net savings for the sewer operations fund.
ATTACHMENT(S):
Ordinance No. 695