St. James City Council on June 8 repealed and replaced an ordinance tied to general utility services.

Ordinance No. 26-1318 repealed and replaced Chapter 705, Article I, Sections 705.010-0.50, tied to utility services.

City Administrator Leeann DeMouche presented five policies that would be added to the ordinance, including:

• Application, billing and payment for services

• Deposits, refunds and collections

• Customer service fees and charges

• Rental property administration

• Billing adjustments

DeMouche said the city was already enforcing these policies, but did not have them written in the municipal code.

“We do payment plans, but we don’t have policies for payment plans,” said DeMouche. “We do billing adjustments for water leaks. They have to bring invoices in and we adjust their bill accordingly, but we don’t have the policy in our code.”

The ordinance would repeal the city providing dusk to dawn lights.

“We still bill for those that have dusk to dawn, but as far as the policy for dusk, we’re repealing that you can have one (lights),” said DeMouche.

She outlined the services policy. Residents must apply for utility services before they can be activated.

“The application will tell them what the terms of service are,” said DeMouche.

The applicant must provide the city with a deed for home ownership or a lease if they’re renting, and must be over the age of 18 to receive services.

“The application will also help us find out if they have past due bills,” said DeMouche. “Application tells them that we will be doing inspections and that they’re being metered.”

If someone who previously lived in St. James moves back and still has an overdue bill, the city will not provide services until it has been paid in full. Billing takes place on a 30-day cycle, or once month. The proration of bills was added to the services policy.

Utility service deposits would be adjusted across gas, water, wastewater, solid waste and electric. DeMouche said she reviewed the cost of the meter and services when breaking down pricing. For example, a total of $300 would be allocated across those categories for a residential deposit. The residential deposit would go toward gas and $100 for electricity.

DeMouche said the city would bill large commercial utility deposits at a total of $4,026 and electricity for $2,000 because of the three phase meters.

“These are the demand meters and so that’s why I put that big number on those meters,” said DeMouche.

A $20 fee is required for a new service application. Delinquent account deactivation is $26 and account reactivation is for $52. The city previously charged $50 for delinquent deactivation and reactivation.

A solid waste warning was added to the customer service fees and charges. If a resident leaves trash out, the city will issue a note on the waste container with a warning only. The second warning comes with a $10 fine and the third with a $15 fine. The city supervisor will bring the resident a second container and that will be on their bill for three months.

The rental property administration policy requires the property owner notify the city that a tenant is moving out. DeMouche said the reason for creating that policy is to make the rental company/property manager pay for utilities or they may wish to have services discontinued.

The city will allow billing adjustments once every 12 months.

Councilperson Bill Dunkus asked DeMouche about the communication process for an overdue bill.

“You mentioned that you were going to email them a request. Can we also mail them? Because my mother in law doesn’t have email so she would never get the request,” said Dunkus.

“Right. If they don’t have an email then we are mailing,” said DeMouche.

Alderman Mark Gray made a motion to approve the ordinance and Alderman Marcie Wilson seconded the motion, which passed with a 6-0 vote.

In other news, resident Rich Hashagen donated $1,000 for the city to use towards a veterans memorial at the St. James Cemetery.

The next city council meeting will be at 6 p.m. on July 13 at 1400 Nelson Hart Drive.