TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Steve Powers, City Manager
FROM: Peter Fernandez, PE, Public Works Director
SUBJECT:
title
Notice of Proposed Administrative Rulemaking for Utility Billing
Ward(s): All Wards
Councilor(s): All Councilors
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
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ISSUE:
Notice of proposed administrative rulemaking to establish policies and procedures for the billing of City utility services. This notice is given pursuant to SRC 20J.040(a)(3).
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Information only.
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SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND:
Salem Revised Code (SRC) 70.205 authorizes establishing rules for the administration of the City’s utility billing program. The purpose of the proposed rule is to provide a clear and consistent practice for opening a utility account with the City and establish a methodology for billings, payments, and collections on utility accounts. Elements of the proposed rule include:
• Customer classification definitions
• Procedures and conditions for establishing a utility account
• Temporary utility service and suspension of service
• Wastewater and/or stormwater only accounts
• Special accounts for community gardens and those accounts deemed medically necessary
• Wastewater base rate setting procedures
• Billing and payments on utility accounts
• Estimating and adjusting bills as necessary
• Past due and delinquent accounts
FACTS AND FINDINGS:
The Notice of Administrative Rule Making (Attachment 1) will be posted May 22 through June 5, 2017. Interested parties will have 15 days to provide comment to staff. Subject to review by Council, the rule (Attachment 2) will become effective on June 22, 2017.
Adoption of Administrative Rules does not require Council approval. Council may elect to review the proposed Administrative Rule; however, the scope of Council’s review is limited to: (1) whether the rule is within the scope of the provision of the Code authorizing adoption; and (2) whether the rule is duplicative of, or conflicts with, another rule or other federal, state, or local law or regulation, or is outside of the range of staff’s rulemaking authority. The Legal Department has reviewed the proposed rules for consistency with the code pursuant to SRC 20J.080.
Robert D. Chandler, PhD, PE
Assistant Public Works Director
Attachments:
1. Notice of Proposed Administrative Rulemaking: Utility Billing
2. Administrative Rule 109-800-002