Agenda Packets - 1984/08/13 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Memo to Mayor and City Council August 13, 1984 Page Two In staff's opinion the credit rating of Ms. Peterson is not at issue here. The issue is whether the late charge is a valid charge to Ms. Peterson's bill. A bill was prepared for Ms. Peterson; it was mailed and therefore, as a practical matter, has to be considered delivered to Ms. Peterson. The bill was paid after the due date. Utility billing policies require a late charge on payments made after the due date. This late charge cannot be forgiven as a matter of policy since late charges may be forgiven for a customer on a one—time basis and the late charge was previously forgiven Ms. Peterson. Staff also feels that a principle is involved here. That principle is fair and equal treatment of all of the City's utility customers. That principle, that all of the City's utility customers be treated fairly and equally, is the reason that utility billing policies were established in the first place. Those billing policies were r dealings with designed to provide staff with policy guidelines fo the City's utility customers. In following those policy guidelines, Staff has treated all of the City's utility customers fairly and equally. While some of the City's utility customers have not enjoyed paying a late charge, the fact that they have paid it indicates that they have recognized the necessity of having such a policy and the reasons underlying it. The fact that some individuals may be more vociferous in their complaints against these billing policies does not mitigate the reasonableness of those policies nor alter the ourooses for which they were established. Staff feels that in this instance the utility billing policies of the City were properly administered. Staff awaits Council direction on this matter. DB/rd Attachments QIJ