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RESOLUTION NO. 99-15
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF UKIAH
ESTABLISHING POLICY AND PROCEDURE FOR ADJUSTING UTILITY BILLS
WHEREAS,
1. Ukiah City Code Section 4034.a provides that the City will respond to customers
who questions their bills for City furnished electricity in accordance with a resolution adopted
by the City Council; and
2. The City uses a consolidated bill for all City furnished utilities, including electricity,
water, and sewer service; and
3. The City needs a uniform policy and procedure to adjust utility bills which are
questioned by its customers; and
4. The City strives to provide utility services which are fair and responsive to customer
needs and concerns; and
5. As electric service becomes more competitive, the City must have the flexibility to
adjust bills, when appropriate, in a prompt and fair manner;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED as follows:
1. The City Manager exercises the authority to adjust utility bills based on customer
questions or complaints.
2. "Adjust" or "adjustment" as used in this resolution means a decrease in the amount
of a bill, an increase in the amount of a bill, cancellation of a bill, a revision in the way a
particular customer's charges are calculated, a change in the manner by which a customer
pays a bill or an outstanding balance on a bill, including a balance arising from the discovery
of an undercharge from a prior billing period.
3. The City Manager has discretion to adjust a utility bill in response to a customer
question or complaint based on billing errors or fairness to the customer, to avoid undue
hardship to the customer, or to maintain the competitiveness of City owned utilities. The City
Manager shall not adjust a bill, if the adjustment would result in a grant of special privilege or
unfair benefit to a customer, or conflict with any ordinance or resolution adopted by the City
Council governing the provision of utility services by the City.
4. The City Manager shall maintain a written record of each utility adjustment provided
pursuant to this resolution. The written record shall contain, at least, the following information:
Resolution No. 99-15
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A. The customer name, address, and phone number.
B. The service address, if different than the customer address.
C. The account number.
D. A description of the customer complaint.
E. A description of any information provided in support of the complaint or
obtained during an investigation of the complaint.
F. A description of the adjustment provided, if any.
G. A description of the reasons supporting the adjustment or supporting a
decision not to adjust the bill.
5. The written records described in section 3 shall be maintained as confidential
records of the City Manager for a period of three (3) years from the date of the complaint. The
records shall only be disclosed in accordance with the requirements of the California Public
Records Act, including, but not limited to, Government Code Section 6254(c).
6. The City Manager shall take action on all complaints within sixty (60) days of the
date the complaint is received by him or her, unless the customer agrees to a longer period.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 2nd day of September, 1998, by the following roll call
vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
ATTEST:
Marie Ulvila, City Clerk
Councilmembers Chavez, Ashiku, Kelly, Mastin, and Mayor Malone.
None.
None.
None.
Sheridan Malone, Mayo/'
Resolution No. 99-15
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