Columbia Columbia Trust ordinance (§ 27-27)

(a) City utility customers may specify amounts they wish to contribute to the Columbia Trust and have such amounts charged on their monthly utility bills. Utility customers may specify that their contributions be made to any of the following Columbia Trust accounts:

(1) Community arts programming.

(2) Community beautification.

(3) Youth recreation scholarships.

(4) Public health.

(5) Columbia fire department.

(6) Columbia police department.

(7) Utility assistance*.

(b) Contributions made to the Columbia Trust through the utility checkoff program shall be placed in the account specified by the donor. Funds in each of these accounts shall be spent only on programs approved by the city council that are for the purpose indicated by the name of the account.

(c) The minimum amount that a utility customer may contribute to a Columbia Trust account through the utility checkoff program is one dollar ($1.00) per month.

(d) The director of finance is authorized to establish rules and regulations implementing the Columbia Trust utility checkoff program.

*Section 2 of Ord. No. 24693 states, "The establishment of a Utility Assistance Program is hereby authorized by the City Council. Such program shall be created and maintained for the purpose of providing utility assistance to qualifying City of Columbia residents pursuant to guidelines and requirements established by the Department of

Public Health and Human Services and approved by the Finance Department. Funds contributed under the checkoff program to the Columbia Trust for utility assistance shall be utilized to assist City of Columbia utility customers who are eligible for assistance under such Utility Assistance Program."