Ordinance No. 80-01-63 v 4111 ORDINANCE NO. 80-01-63
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH,
FLORIDA AMENDING CHAPTER 22 ARTICLE I IN
GENERAL ADDING SECTION 22-4 . AUTHORITY TO
ADJUST CHARGES IN APPROPRIATE CASES, ADDING
SECTION 22-5 . ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE WRITE-OFFS,
PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA:
SECTION 1. Section 22-4 is added as follows :
Sec. 22-4 Authority to adjust charges in appropriate cases.
a) Right to dispute . Every utility customer shall have the
right to have any disputed or believed-erroneous billing reviewed
by an employee of the Finance Department who is empowered to
adjust such billings for overcharging or charging for services not
rendered. The Finance Director shall designate such employees to
. hear customer disputes and adjust bills to rectify any error and
shall make at least one such employee available to customers
during regular office hours and such other times as the Finance
Director deems necessary and appropriate .
b) Authority to adjust . The adjustment will be made in those
cases where the complaints are well founded and adjustments are
appropriate in the interest of justice and fairness . The City may
waive or assess late fees and service charges when there is a
reasonable basis to believe that the fees or service charges have
been assessed or not assessed in error . When a customer is
determined by the City to have been overcharged or undercharged as
a result of incorrect meter reading, defective metering, incorrect
application of rate schedule fees and charges, or a mistake in
billing or in the billing and collection process, the amount so
determined may be credited or back billed to the customer.
c) Terms of adjustment . The adjustment shall be accomplished
over a period not to exceed six (6) months, unless otherwise
directed by the Finance Director or his authorized representative
and so noted on the account . If meter malfunctions are caused by
tampering or customer-inflicted damage, the back billed period may_
be extended to the maximum period allowed by state statute .
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SECTION 2 . Section 22-5 is added as follows :
Sec. 22-5 . Accounts receivable write-offs .
The City will adopt write-off policies and procedures for
uncollectible accounts and periodically update the City Commission
when write-offs occur.
SECTION 3 . Severability. If any section, sentence, clause
or phrase of this ordinance is held to be invalid or
unconstitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction, then said
holding shall in no way affect the validity of the remaining
portions of this ordinance .
SECTION 4 . This ordinance shall take effect immediately
upon its final passage and adoption.
Passed by the City Commission on first reading /day of
February, 2001 .
Passed by the City Commission on second and final reading
this ,4, Day of February, 2001 .
• ATTEST:
ftliatatik-
MAUREEN KING
City Clerk
Approved as to form and correctness:
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1117 AN C. k EN, ESQUIRE
City At • ney
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101
JO d 't. M.SERVE
Ma .r, Presiding Officer
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