[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Laconia 12-29-1975 as Ch. 46
of the Public Ordinances of 1975. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Administration of government — See Ch. 5.
[Amended 8-26-1991 by Ord. No. 200-91.11]
The construction, replacement, management, maintenance, control
and direction of the Laconia Waterworks shall be vested in a Board
of Water Commissioners to consist of three citizens of said Laconia,
the Director of Public Works and a member of the City Council appointed
by the Mayor, with the approval of the City Council, as members ex
officio.
The terms of office for said Board of Water Commissioners shall
be for three years and until its successors are duly appointed and
qualified. One Commissioner shall be appointed annually on the last
Monday in June or as soon as practicable subsequent thereto.
[Amended 8-26-1991 by Ord. No. 200-91.11]
Whenever a vacancy shall occur by death, resignation, extended
illness or removal, the vacancy shall be filled by the City Council
for the unexpired term.
The Board of Water Commissioners shall be sworn to the faithful
discharge of its duties. It shall annually organize by choosing one
of its members as Chairman of the Board. It shall appoint a Clerk
and a Superintendent of the Waterworks and such other personnel as
it may deem necessary and shall thereupon furnish a certificate of
such organization to the City Clerk, who shall record the same in
his records.
The Board of Water Commissioners shall have and exercise for
and in behalf of the City of Laconia all the power and right delegated
to it by the provisions of this chapter. It shall fix the compensation
of all personnel and employees appointed by it. It shall have full
charge and control of all work pertaining to the maintenance replacement,
management, operation, necessary construction, the purchase of materials
and the purchase of necessities for the waterworks. It may, by formal
vote, sell such of the personal property connected with the waterworks
as it deems expedient, and necessary papers relative thereto shall
be executed by the Chairman for and in behalf of said Board.
The Board of Water Commissioners shall make and execute all
contracts and agreements necessary to fulfill the purposes of this
chapter, provided that no contract or agreement shall be made for
the purchase and/or sale of any real estate or source of water until
such contract or agreement shall have been formally ratified by vote
of the City Council. All contracts and agreements made by said Board
of Water Commissioners shall be in writing and executed in duplicate,
one copy to be kept by the Commissioners, and one copy shall be delivered
to each party and/or parties of the second part. No contract or agreement
shall be assigned or transferred without the written consent of the
Commissioners.
The Board of Water Commissioners shall keep a record of their
official proceedings and report to the City Council not less than
four times each year at intervals of three months and at the close
of each municipal year, as by law required, and at such other times
as said Council may require.
The Board of Water Commissioners shall keep regular books of
accounts, shall regulate the distribution and use of water throughout
the City, shall establish a scale of prices, terms or rates upon which
the water will be furnished to consumers, shall regulate the time
of payment and shall make such abatements or discounts or charge such
additional rates as in its judgment seems for the best interest of
the department and the City. The Board of Water Commissioners shall
keep a register of all persons contracting for the use of water or
by the location where the same is used and the price payable therefor;
they shall faithfully account annually to the City Council for all
receipts and expenditures of the Department.
The Board of Water Commissioners shall have no power or authority
to issue any bond or note or renewal of the same for any outstanding
obligation or any debt created in the construction and management
of the waterworks. The issue of all bonds or notes or renewals of
the same for any obligation of the Water Department shall be authorized
by the concurrent vote of the City Council.
The control and maintenance of all fire hydrants in the City
of Laconia shall hereafter be vested in the Board of Water Commissioners.
All charges for water furnished to patrons in the City of Laconia
shall become a lien upon any real estate where such water is furnished,
and said lien shall continue for one year from the last item charged
at said water rate, and said lien may be enforced by a suit in behalf
of the City of Laconia ordered by the Board of Water Commissioners
against the owner and/or owners of record of such real estate. The
records in the office of the waterworks department and the charges
for water furnished as aforesaid shall be sufficient notice to maintain
suit upon such lien against subsequent purchasers or attaching creditors
of said real estate.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply wherever water is
supplied beyond the confines of the limits of the City of Laconia,
in accordance with the rules and regulations promulgated by the Public
Utilities Commission.
[Amended 12-27-1983 by Ord. No. 86-83.11; 8-28-1989 by Ord. No. 171-89.6]
Only the appointed members of the Board of Water Commissioners
shall receive for his/her services such compensation as shall be determined
by vote of the City Council, the same to be paid from the funds of
the Laconia Waterworks.
