[Added 1-2-1996; amended 6-3-1997; 11-18-1997; 7-6-1999]
[1]
Editor's Note: The title of this article was amended 9-21-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05.
The authority for this article is 30-A M.R.S.A. § 5405(1) which authorizes the Town Council to "fix the schedule of rates, fees and other charges for the use of, and for the services furnished...by any revenue-producing facility," including any sewage disposal system.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ANNUAL CAPITAL BUDGET
The amount contained in the capital improvement budget for the municipal sewer system for a given fiscal year.[1]
DINING AREA
That area commonly known as the "dining room," being the gross area used for the consumption of food within a restaurant, including aisles and walkways used by the diners and wait staff for circulation to, from and around dining tables and chairs but excluding food preparation areas, kitchens, dishwashing areas, wait staff stations, storage rooms, staff break rooms, retail space, cloakrooms, rest rooms, offices and checkout counters.
FISCAL YEAR
The financial year of the Town of Bar Harbor as determined by its Charter.
MOUSE PRODUCTION AREA
That area commonly known as the "mouse room" at the Jackson Laboratory, being the gross area used for the production of laboratory mice, excluding changing rooms, washrooms, ventilation rooms, entry areas and the like.
MUNICIPAL SEWER SYSTEM
All facilities owned by the Town of Bar Harbor for collecting, pumping, treating, composting and disposing of sewage, including but not limited to pump stations, collection systems, treatment plants and related clerical and administrative services.
NONRESIDENTIAL
Property not meeting the definition of “residential” as provided below.
[Amended 10-21-2008 by Ord. No. 2008-04]
OPERATING BUDGET
The budget adopted by the Town Council for the operation of the municipal sewer system during a given fiscal year, but not including the servicing of debt, depreciation or the capital improvement budget.[2]
[Amended 6-18-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-01]
RESIDENTIAL
Property that is used primarily as a single-family home or dwelling and is so classified in the Town of Bar Harbor assessing records
[Amended 10-21-2008 by Ord. No. 2008-04; 12-18-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-08]
SEWER RATES
The rate to be charged to users of the municipal sewer system. The calculated rate shall be the total revenues to be raised by sewer rates divided by the estimated annual budgeted consumption.
[Amended 8-4-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-03]
SUPERINTENDENT
The Wastewater Treatment Superintendent, his/her designee or, in their absence, the Director of Public Works.
USAGE
The amount of input into the municipal sewer system as measured or estimated by the cubic foot.
USER
The owner of a property that is connected to the municipal sewer system.
[1]
Editor’s Note: The former definitions of "capital rate" and "debt repayment," which immediately followed this definition, were repealed 8-4-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-03 and 6-18-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-01, respectively.
[2]
Editor’s Note: The former definitions of "operations rate" and "quarter," which immediately followed this definition, were repealed 8-4-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-03.
A. 
Town Council action. The Town Council shall establish sewer rates by ordinance as required by Charter § C-30-A.
[Amended 9-21-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
B. 
[1]Billing.
(1) 
Classification. All users shall be classified as either residential or nonresidential for purposes of minimum billing and application of summer residential discount.
(2) 
Determination of usage.
[Amended 4-4-2000; 10-21-2008 by Ord. No. 2008-04]
(a) 
Metered properties. The amount of usage in a given quarter by a user whose property is serviced by the Bar Harbor Water Division shall be the cubic feet of water used at that property for that quarter as determined by water meter readings performed by the Bar Harbor Water Division or the Town of Bar Harbor.
(b) 
Unmetered properties. The amount of usage in a given quarter by a user whose property is not serviced by the Bar Harbor Water Division shall be deemed to be 1,300 cubic feet per quarter.
[Amended 8-4-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-03]
(c) 
Reduction of usage.
[1] 
Unmetered residential users. Any residential user whose property is not serviced by the Bar Harbor Water Division who, in advance of any quarter, certifies in writing to the Town Treasurer, on a form prepared and made available by the Town Treasurer, that there will be no usage by that user's property for 52 or more days in that quarter shall be deemed to have a usage of 600 cubic feet for that quarter.
[Amended 8-4-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-03]
[2] 
Summer residential discount. Certain residential users, as described below, whose property is serviced by the Bar Harbor Water Division shall be eligible for a summer discount in recognition of the fact that during the summer much water passes through a water meter that does not then enter the municipal sewer system. To receive this discount, such user must apply in writing, before September 30 immediately following the quarter for which the discount is sought, to the Finance Department on a form prepared and made available by the Finance Department. The summer residential discount will be applied by billing the user for the summer quarter based on his or her average usage for the immediately preceding winter and spring quarters or two quarters that can, at the discretion of the Finance Department, more reasonably estimate the basic usage of the residence rather than based on usage as indicated by a meter reading for the summer quarter. The discount shall not be available to:
[a] 
Properties with a sewer service accepting waste from more than one residential unit;
[b] 
Residences used in whole or in part for a home occupation, commercial rental, vacation rental, or other commercial use; or
[c] 
Properties classified as a seasonal water customer.
[3] 
Other reductions. Upon the receipt of sufficient evidence indicating that a user's total water consumption as indicated by a meter reading has not all entered into the municipal sewer system, the Town Treasurer may adjust a user's usage to reflect more accurately actual usage.
(3) 
Calculation and payment of bill.
[Amended 8-4-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-03]
(a) 
Generally. Each user shall be billed quarterly. Bills shall be due and payable within 30 days after the date of the bill. Interest in the maximum amount allowed by state law will be charged on the unpaid balances of any bills not paid in full within 30 days after the date of the bill.
(b) 
Minimum bill. Notwithstanding actual usage or any discounts or reductions in usage, residential users shall be billed based on a minimum usage of 600 cubic feet per quarter and nonresidential users shall be billed based on a minimum usage of 1,700 cubic feet per quarter.
[1]
Editor’s Note: Former Subsection B, regarding the operations rate, as amended, and former Subsection C, regarding the capital rate, as amended, were repealed 8-4-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-03. This ordinance also provided for the redesignation of former Subsection D as Subsection B.
[Added 9-21-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05; amended 11-1-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-05; 12-18-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-08; 6-18-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-01; 10-20-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-06; 8-4-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-03; 7-19-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-02; 8-15-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-03; 8-7-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-03; 8-6-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-10; 10-20-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-14; 10-19-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-08; 11-21-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-08]
A. 
Budget adopted. The fiscal year 2024 Sewer Budget, dated October 11, 2023, is hereby adopted as published and summarized below.
(1) 
Fund balance. Designated fund balances are estimated as follows:
(a) 
Estimated starting designated fund balances.
[1] 
Working capital: $495,077.
[2] 
CIP projects: $2,679,574.
(b) 
Ending designated fund balance.
[1] 
Working capital: $495,077.
[2] 
CIP projects: $1,966,114.
(2) 
Revenues.
(a) 
Total revenues and other sources are estimated to be: $3,187,400.
(b) 
Revenue for the sewer rates shall be calculated from the total operating and capital appropriations minus any nonrate revenues:
[1] 
Total revenue derived from sewer rate: $3,050,000.
(3) 
Expenses. Total appropriations shall be:
(a) 
Operating Fund: $2,206,526.
(b) 
Capital Fund: $811,486.
(4) 
Rates.
(a) 
Rate of $11.07 per 100 cubic feet of water used.
(b) 
Minimum bills.
[1] 
Residential customers: $66.42 for up to 600 cubic feet of water used per quarter.
[2] 
Nonresidential customers: $188.19 for up to 1,700 cubic feet of water used per quarter.
[3] 
Unmetered customers: $143.91 per quarter (based on 1,300 cubic feet of water used).
(c) 
Septic tank pumpage: $15.62 per 100 gallons.
(d) 
Sludge disposal: $9.36 per 100 gallons.
(e) 
Connection fee rate (per inch): $130 per inch diameter of the service connection.
(f) 
Connection fee rate (per gallon): $14.35 per gallon of sewage per day.
(g) 
Late payment penalty: 8.0% per annum.