Needles Municipal Code § 4.4 Returned checks

(a) Relieve Customer of the obligation to render payment to City under the original terms of the bill; or (b) Defer City’s right to terminate service for nonpayment of bills.

4.5 Collection charge.

4.5.1 If a termination of service is required at the site of the equipment other than the meter, a reconnection charge established by City’s cost of services fee schedule must be paid before service re-establishment. Customer shall be billed the normal service establishment charge in addition to the above reconnect charge on the next month’s billing.

4.5.2 To avoid discontinuation of service, Customer may make payment in full, including any necessary deposit in accordance with section 2.5 or City, at its sole option, may make acceptable payment arrangements.

4.6 Payment assistance and counseling. City will provide the following services to residential Customers unable to pay their bills.

4.6.1 City will offer an installment payment plan to allow Customer to amortize past due and current amounts over a reasonable period of time. A Customer who defaults on an installment payment plan may not qualify for future installment payment arrangements. If a Customer does not comply with the terms of a payment arrangement, services will be automatically terminated without further notice. In order to reconnect service, the full amount owed must be paid.

4.6.2 Customer making payments on an installment payment plan must keep the account current as charges for service accrue.

4.6.3 City will furnish Customer, upon request, information on the availability of alternate sources of financial assistance.

4.6.4 A permanent payment due date shall be offered to residential Customers only. Residential Customers may elect a permanent payment date, which extends the utility bill due date beyond the standard nineteen (19) days from issuance. All nonresidential Customers shall remain subject to the standard nineteen (19) day due date for payment of their utility bills.

4.7 "STOP LOSS / MAXIMUM DELINQUENCY/COLLECTION POLICY"

4.7.1 Stop-Loss Maximum. A "stop-loss" maximum amount equal to one (1) month's billing period is hereby established. Once a Customer’s account reaches the stop-loss maximum amount, City shall provide the Customer with a warning as set forth in the Terms and Conditions for the various utilities established by City and as may be amended from time to time. The warning notice shall provide Customer with ten (10) days to pay the past due amount. If payment of the delinquent amount cannot be made in full within the ten (10) day period, Customer shall have the ability within that period to enter into an amortization agreement ("Payment Agreement") with City, agreeing and acknowledging that Customer's account must be kept current and that the past due amount must be paid in equal monthly installments over a period of six (6) to twelve (12) month period dependent on Customer's ability to pay. If payment installments are not paid as set forth in the Payment Agreement, Customer's utilities will be disconnected immediately and without further notice. A Payment Agreement shall only be offered to a Customer if such Customer has not defaulted on a prior Payment Agreement within the previous twelve (12) month period. If a Customer is on an active Payment Agreement and defaults thereon, a new Payment Agreement cannot be authorized and the full amount past due must be paid before services can be restored.

4.7.2 Restoring Services. Before the utilities may be restored, Customer shall be required to pay one-half (1/2) of the amount in arrears; however, in the event the account is in the "final status" (the final bill has been prepared and the Customer's deposit(s) have been applied to the outstanding balance), Customer shall be required to pay a new deposit in an amount as set forth in the Terms and Conditions. Customer shall also execute a separate Payment Agreement in which Customer agrees and acknowledges that Customer's account must be kept current and that the balance (the remaining one-half (1/2) of the amount in arrears) shall be paid in equal monthly installments over a period set in section 4.7.1. Customer shall further acknowledge and agree that service may be discontinued immediately, without further notice, if payment installments are not paid as set forth in the Payment Agreement and/or the current bill is not paid timely.

4.7.3 Collections. If services have been disconnected as a result of non­payment, and (1) Customer does not reactivate said services, and (2) the bill is in the final status, the final bill will be sent to a collections agency. City refers customarily refers delinquent accounts to a collection agency every six (6) months.

4.7.4 Deposits. A deposit or a letter of credit is required when a Customer is initiating electric service as set forth in the Terms and Conditions. In the event Customer receives two (2) late notices within a twelve (12) month period, a deposit will be required for continuation of service. City will provide Customer with written notice that a deposit, in the amount equal to two (2) times Customer's highest monthly bill during the previous twelve (12) month period, is due. The amount of the deposit due will be added to Customer's next utility bill. City will refund the deposit to the Customer after it has received twelve (12) months of timely payments from the Customer. City will refund the deposit to the residential Customer after it has received twelve (12) months of timely payments, and two (2) years for all other nonresidential Customers. The security deposit for Large Commercial Customers as set forth in section 2.7.3 shall be on file with City during the term of service.