Duties and Responsibilities

(A)       Establishment and membership.  A Utility Board is hereby established.  It shall be composed of five members.

(B)       Powers, duties and responsibilities.  The Utility Board shall be responsible for:

(1)        Advising the City Council concerning the construction, maintenance, repair and management of the City’s water, electric, storm and sewer utilities;

(2)        Advising the City Council concerning all new construction, additions and alterations of the City’s water, electric, storm and sewer utilities;

(3)        Advising the City Council concerning the operation of the City’s water, electric, storm and sewer utilities;

(4)        Making recommendations to the City Council with respect to the City entering into contracts for the construction, alteration and repair of utility buildings and of all related machinery and appliances;

(5)        Making recommendations to the City Council with respect to the construction and repair of all reservoirs, wells, water, electric, storm and sewer lines, distribution systems and any related or necessary fixtures;

(6)        Making recommendations to the City Council with respect to the laying, relaying and construction of all water, electric, storm and sewer mains and related fixtures;

(7)        Making recommendations to the City Council for the purchase of necessary materials to be used in and by the City for its water, electric, storm and sewer works and related inspections;

(8)        Reviewing petitions or applications for the extension, construction, maintenance or repair of water, electric, storm or sewer lines or distribution systems and providing recommendations to the City Council;

(9)        Recommend to the City Council the rates that should be fixed by the Council for the use of water, electric, storm and sewer utilities and garbage removal services;

(10)      Recommend to the City Council adopting City Code provisions that will prevent injury or misuse of anything connected with the water, electric, storm or sewer utilities; and

(11)      Assist or provide input at the request of the City Council regarding the hiring of utility personnel in accordance with the City’s Administrative Staff Hiring Policy.

 (C)       Utility funds.  All amounts charged by the City and collected for water, electric, storm, sewer, and garbage services will be collected by the Finance Director and deposited in the appropriate utility fund. All expenses for maintaining and operating the water, electric, storm and sewer utilities and the construction, enlargement, altering and keeping in repair of the buildings, machinery, reservoirs, mains and distribution systems and everything connected with the water, electric, storm and sewer utilities and garbage services shall be paid by the City from the water, electric, storm and sewer utility or garbage funds.   The Finance Director shall keep records of the condition and operation of the City’s water, electric, storm and sewer utility and garbage funds and everything pertaining to these funds, of all the monies received and paid out by the City with respect to these utilities and all debts due and owing the City with respect to these utilities for any reason, together with an accurate account of all expenses of the utilities.  The Finance Director shall provide the City Council on an annual basis with a full, complete, accurate and itemized financial statement of the operations and expenditures of the City’s utility funds.  All expenses and obligations related to the City’s utilities shall be paid by check authorized by the City Council.

(D)       Inefficiencies in the utility funds.  If there is not a sufficient amount of funds in the water, electric, storm and sewer utility or garbage funds, all amounts required for these utility operations shall be provided by the City Council by taxation or by appropriation from the general fund of the City.  The Utility Board will be notified by the Finance Director of any appropriation and the amount. If at any time, in the judgment of the Utility Board, it is necessary to make repairs, additions or alterations to any buildings, machinery, reservoirs, water, electric, storm or sewer mains or lines or other portions of the utilities and there is not sufficient funds in the utility funds to defray the cost, the Utility Board will inform the City Council, who may appropriate from the general fund of the City amounts that are necessary for this purpose.

(E)       Levies.  The City Council shall, at the time of the making of the annual City tax levy, levy upon all the taxable property of the City a tax in such amount as, in the judgment of the City Council that is sufficient for the operation of the water, electric, storm and sewer utilities.  The levy must be paid in addition to the amount levied to defray the general expenses of the City.  All monies received from any such levy shall be paid into and belong to the City’s utility fund and shall not be used or appropriated for any other purpose, except by order of the City Council.