Glasgow Responsibility for Delinquent Service Bills ordinance (§ 700.060)

A. Any applicant or consumer of any City utility service shall be responsible for all delinquent charges incurred by any person residing at his/her household. For example, if it should come to the attention of the City that there is living in the household of one of the consumers of a City utility services (water, sewer or solid waste) an individual who has a delinquent or unpaid utility account with the City, the applicant shall be required to pay the delinquency incurred by the one living with him/her in order to continue to receive municipal utilities service.

1. The purpose of this provision is to prevent members of a family, household or residential unit from alternating among themselves the application for utility services and thereby prevent the collection of delinquent bills.

2. Whenever the City Collector determines that an individual applicant or customer has residing with him/her a person who owes the City a delinquent utility account, said City Collector shall cause to be sent to such applicant/customer a notice indicating his/her belief. The applicant shall be given an opportunity to contest the allegation at a hearing before the City Mayor, at which evidence will be produced to support or refute the City Collector's allegation. The form of the notice may be as follows:

Dear (blank), It has come to the attention of the City that living in your household is one John Doe. This John Doe we believe to be the same individual who owes the City of Glasgow, Missouri $_____ in delinquent utility bills. According to Section 700.060 of the Code of the City, if it is shown that a resident of a household has a delinquent utility bill, the utility service of that household may be disconnected until the delinquency is taken care of. You have the right to a hearing on this matter. Please be advised that the Mayor will on the _____ day of _____, conduct a hearing, beginning at 8:00 A.M., concerning the allegation. If you do not appear to contest the allegation, you cannot thereafter contest the matter. If you do appear, evidence will be produced and a decision reached. You may, of course, contact me at any time prior to the hearing to discuss this matter. Sincerely, (signed) City Collector.

3. The hearing described above shall be conducted as provided by the Administrative Procedure Act of the State of Missouri.

4. Following such hearing (or if the applicant/customer admits the allegation), the utility services provided to said customer/applicant shall be disconnected (without further notice) if it is found that the allegations of the City Collector are correct.