(Derived from Ch. 146 of the 1975 Compilation)
[Amended 12-15-1998 by L.L. No. 4-1998; 12-7-1999 by L.L. No. 4-1999; 11-7-2000 by L.L. No. 4-2000]
A.
Pursuant to Article 14-F of the General Municipal Law, there shall be and there is hereby established rates or charges for the use of the sewerage system of the city. Such sewerage system consists of approximately 60 miles of sewer pipes and mains located in the City of Oneonta and the treatment plant, trunk line sewers and appurtenances. Such rates or charges shall be based upon the amount of water supplied by the municipal water system, as shown by the water readings for each calendar year or shorter periods. If an agricultural or manufacturing operation can demonstrate that the amount of sewage contributed to the sewer system is substantially less or greater than the amount of metered water supplied by the municipal water system, such user may make application to the City Engineer for a modification to the standard billing method. The City Engineer shall determine, in writing, a fair and equitable method for that user, taking into consideration the provisions of Article V of this chapter and such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by other agencies. "Substantial," for the purposes herein, shall mean at least a 25% lessor or greater discharge into the sewer system. Any user aggrieved by the written determination of the City Engineer may appeal to the Board of Public Service within 20 days of the date of written determination. Such Board shall have the power to review the grievance, provide a hearing, and thereafter to affirm or modify the sewer charge method. If the method is modified, the Board shall state its reasons in writing and shall order that a recalculation of the charges be determined. Any grievant dissatisfied with the Boards's determination may appeal in writing within 20 days to the Common Council, which shall review the determination of the Board of Public Service and act promptly thereon.
B.
Meters are read annually in December or January of
each year and shall be billed no later than March 31 of the following
year. All users of said sewer system shall be billed on the same statement
as water charges for the same period as the water billing for such
sewerage service charges as follows:
[Amended 12-18-2007 by L.L. No. 1-2007; 12-2-2008 by Ord. No. 1-2008; 11-17-2009 by L.L. No. 3-2009; 11-16-2010 by L.L. No. 5-2010; 12-20-2011 by L.L. No. 1-2011[1]; 12-3-2013 by L.L.
No. 7-2013[2]; 12-5-2017 by L.L.
No. 3-2017[3]; 12-4-2018 by L.L.
No. 1-2018[4]; 12-3-2019 by L.L.
No. 2-2019[5]; 11-17-2020 by L.L. No. 2-2020; 12-1-2020 by L.L. No. 4-2020[6]; 12-21-2021 by L.L. No. 1-2022[7]; 12-6-2022 by L.L. No. 1-2023[8]]
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City of Oneonta
Sewer Rents for Users of Cubic-Feet Meters
| ||
|---|---|---|
|
Rate per 1,000 Cubic Feet
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|
Steps
|
City Users
|
Town Users
|
|
0 to 5,000
|
$180 minimum
|
$270 minimum
|
|
5,000 to 10,000
|
$18.63
|
$27.95
|
|
10,000 to 26,000
|
$24.00
|
$36.00
|
|
26,000 to 53,000
|
$26.50
|
$39.75
|
|
53,000 to 80,000
|
$29.50
|
$44.25
|
|
80,000 to 106,000
|
$32.50
|
$48.75
|
|
106,000 to 133,000
|
$35.25
|
$52.88
|
|
133,000 to 401,000
|
$40.35
|
$60.53
|
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Over 401,000
|
$42.00
|
$63.00
|
|
City of Oneonta
Sewer Rents for Users of Gallon Meters
| ||
|---|---|---|
|
Rate per 1,000 Gallons
| ||
|
Steps
|
City Users
|
Town Users
|
|
0 to 37,000
|
$260 minimum
|
$390 minimum
|
|
37,000 to 75,000
|
$4.42
|
$6.63
|
|
75,000 to 195,000
|
$5.15
|
$7.72
|
|
195,000 to 397,000
|
$5.65
|
$8.48
|
|
397,000 to 599,000
|
$6.40
|
$9.60
|
|
599,000 to 793,000
|
$7.05
|
$10.59
|
|
793,000 to 995,000
|
$7.65
|
$11.47
|
|
995,000 to 3,000,000
|
$8.75
|
$13.13
|
|
Over 3,000,000
|
$9.12
|
$13.68
|
[1]
Editor's Note: This local law provided an
effective date of 1-1-2012.
[2]
Editor's Note: This local law provided an effective date of
1-1-2014.
[3]
Editor's Note: This local law provided an effective date of
1-1-2018.
[4]
Editor’s Note: This local law provided an effective
date of 1-1-2019.
[5]
Editor’s Note: This local law provided an effective
date of 1-1-2020.
[6]
Editor’s Note: This local law provided an effective
date of 1-1-2021.
[7]
Editor's Note: This local law provided an effective date of
1-1-2022.
[8]
Editor's Note: This local law provided an effective date of
1-1-2023.
A.
Charges for such sewerage service established pursuant to § 236-32 shall be paid in full by April 30 of each year without penalty. Thereafter, the City shall collect an additional fee of 1% of the bill amount during the first month that said charge is not paid. An additional 1% of the bill amount shall be added per month during each month the bill remains unpaid. This method of payment shall apply to all users except high-volume users.
[Amended 12-15-1998 by L.L. No. 4-1998; 12-7-1999 by L.L. No. 4-1999; 11-17-2020 by L.L. No. 2-2020]
B.
Water meters for high-volume users shall be read either
monthly or quarterly commencing in either January or March, respectively,
and charges for such usage established as of February 1 or April 1
of each year, respectively, and monthly or quarterly thereafter. Such
charges may be paid within 30 days of the due date without penalty.
Thereafter, the City Chamberlain shall collect an additional fee of
1% of the bill amount during the first month that said charge is not
paid. An additional 1% of the bill amount shall be added per month
during each month the bill remains unpaid.
[Amended 12-15-1998 by L.L. No. 4-1998; 12-7-1999 by L.L. No. 4-1999]
C.
A high-volume user shall be defined as one water meter
account drawing more than 80,000 cubic feet of water within the prior
twelve-month period, which shall be billed quarterly, and one water
meter account drawing more than 1,000,000 cubic feet of water within
the prior twelve-month period, which shall be billed monthly. Once
identified as a high-volume user that uses in excess of 80,000 cubic
feet of water per year, such account shall continue to be billed in
accordance with this provision (quarterly), until such time as the
two-year average draw of such water meter account shall decrease to
below 50,000 cubic feet per year. Once identified as a high-volume
user that uses in excess of 1,000,000 cubic feet of water per year,
such account shall continue to be billed in accordance with this provision
(monthly) until such time as the two-year average draw of such water
meter account shall decrease to below 750,000 cubic feet per year.
In the event that the charges for sewerage service
as above provided are not paid within 30 days, such charges shall
be deemed and are hereby declared to be delinquent, and thereafter
such delinquency shall constitute a lien upon the real estate for
which such service is supplied, and such lien shall be superior to
every other lien or claim, except the lien of an existing tax, assessment
or other lawful charge imposed by or for the state or a political
subdivision or district thereof.
The charges herein established shall be collected
from the owners, occupants and users of the premises using the city
sewer system within the city from and after the effective date of
this article.
Upon the effective date of this article, a duly
certified copy thereof by the City Clerk shall be filed in the office
of the Clerk of the County of Otsego and the office of the City Clerk
and the City Chamberlain of the City of Oneonta, and it shall be deemed
notice to all owners of real estate in said City of Oneonta of their
liability for sewerage service supplied to any occupant or user of
such service on their property.
A.
Procedure. The Common Council may annually cause a
statement to be prepared by the City Chamberlain setting forth the
amount of each lien for sewer rents in arrears, including penalties
and interest, the real property affected thereby and the name of the
person in whose name such real property is assessed. The Common Council
shall levy the amounts contained in such statement against the real
property liable at the same time and in the same manner as city taxes,
and such amounts shall be set forth in a separate column in the annual
tax rolls. The amounts so levied shall be collected and enforced in
the same manner and at the same time as provided by law for the collection
and enforcement of city taxes.
B.
Omission. In the event that the sewer charges accrued
or chargeable upon any lot, part of lot or building are omitted from
the sewer charges roll, as herein provided for any cause, it shall
be included in the next roll after such omission shall have been discovered
and shall be collected in the same manner and shall have the same
lien and shall have the same force and effect in all respects as do
the other sewer charges on said roll.
All sewer charges, fees, penalties and interest
shall be deposited in a special fund, to be known as the "Sewer Fund,"
and said moneys shall be used only for the purposes set forth in § 453
of the General Municipal Law.
