Council directs staff to advance utility billing policy changes, including new 20-day due date and leak-adjustment updates

City staff returned to council with a follow-up on proposed utility billing policy changes and sought direction to proceed with ordinance language and customer communications.

Key recommendations included: making owners or tenants responsible for unpaid prior balances through contract language and automatic transfer of service to owners on tenant cancellations (with limitations); reducing days of exposure (the period from billing to disconnection) from 96 to 68 days; revising leak-adjustment rules to distinguish preventable from nonpreventable leaks, allowing one adjustment every 24 months, increasing the maximum adjustment from $1,000 to $3,000 and requiring proof of repair; aligning corrective-billing windows at two years for under- and overbilling; and shifting the due date to 20 days from bill date with late fees assessed the next day.

Councilors supported staff's revised recommendation on the due date and asked staff to begin public information and return ordinance amendments for formal adoption at a future meeting; the council approved direction by voice vote.