title
GRU - UTILITY SERVICES (B)
Ordinance No. 0-09-50
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 27 UTILITIES, GAINESVILLE CODE OF ORDINANCES; AMENDING SECTION 27-6, TERMS OF WITHHOLDING SERVICE; AMENDING SECTION 27-7, FREQUENCY OF CREDITS FOR UTILIITY DEPOSITS; AMENDING SUBSECTION 27-15(d), AMENDING THE NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS; REPEALING SECTIONS 27-17 AND 27-18 RELATING TO ALACHUA COUNTY PRIVILEGE FEE; AMENDING SECTION 27-21, DEFINITIONS, BY ADDING AND MODIFYING DEFINITIONS; PROVIDING A REPEALING CLAUSE; PROVIDING DIRECTIONS TO THE CODIFIER; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND, PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
recommendation
The City Commission adopt the proposed ordinance.
explanation
In the Proposed Budget for the Combined Utilities System, the General Manager made a recommendation to make the following changes to Chapter 27.
It is recommended that language be added to Section 27-7 to incorporate misrepresentation on part of the applicant or customer to be cause for withholding or disconnecting service as identify theft has been recognized as a component of utility theft.
Current practice is to apply credit for interest on utility deposits to customer accounts on a monthly basis. The recommendation is to modify the existing text that states interest will be credited annually to state interest shall be credited monthly.
The specific hours of operation should be removed from 27-15(d) to allow the utility to adjust hours as needed without the necessity of an ordinance.
Both sections 27-17 and 27-18 have been deemed unconstitutional and therefore the general manager is recommending repealing both sections.
On August 6, 2009, the general manager made a recommendation to modify Section 27-21 by adding definitions of AC power and DC power as well as modifying existing definitions.
These changes will be effective upon adoption.