11-29-2023 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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7 applicable customer classification in all customer billings for gas service in each class. The payment shall be due the last business day of the month following the period for which the payment is made. The franchise fee may be changed by ordinance from time to time; however, each change shall meet the same notice requirements and not occur more often than annually and no change shall require a collection from any customer for gas service in excess of the amounts specifically permitted by this Section 9. The time and manner of collecting the franchise fee is subject to the approval of the Commission. No franchise fee shall be payable by Company if Company is legally unable to first collect an amount equal to the franchise fee from its customers in each applicable class of customers by imposing a surcharge in Company’s applicable rates for gas service. Company may pay the City the fee based upon the surcharge billed subject to subsequent reductions to account for uncollectibles, refunds and correction of erroneous billings. Company agrees to make its records available for inspection by the City at reasonable times provided that the City and its designated representative agree in writing not to disclose any information which would indicate the amount paid by any identifiable customer or customers or any other information regarding identified customers. 9.4 Terms Defined. 9.4.1 “Customer Class” shall refer to classes listed in the Fee Schedule and as defined or determined in Company’s gas rate book on file with the Commission. 9.4.2 “Fee Schedule” refers to the Schedule in Section 9.1 setting forth the various customer classes from which a franchise fee would be collected if a separate ordinance were implemented immediately after the effective date of this franchise agreement. The Fee Schedule in the separate ordinance may include new Customer Classes added by the Company to its gas tariffs after the effective date of this franchise agreement. 9.4.3 Therm shall be a unit of gas providing 100,000 Btu of heat content adjusted for billing purposes under the rate schedules of Company on file with the Commission. 9.5 Equivalent Fee Requirement. The separate ordinance imposing the fee shall not be effective against Company unless it lawfully imposes and the City monthly or more often collects a fee or tax of the same or greater equivalent amount on the receipts from sales of energy within the City by any o ther energy supplier, provided that, as to such a supplier, the City has the authority to require a franchise fee or to impose a tax. The “same or greater equivalent amount” shall be measured, if practicable, by comparing amounts collected as a franchise fee from each similar customer, or by comparing, as to similar customers the percentage of the annual bill represented by the amount collected for franchise fee purposes. If the Company specifically consents in writing to a franchise or separate ordinance collecting or failing to collect a fee from another energy supplier in contravention of this Section 9.5, the foregoing conditions will be waived to the extent of such written consent.