CH11 11 .1 - Municipal Gas Works
 

Amendments and Repeals

Sections of this ordinance have since been Amended By - 3-2016 4-2017 2-2018 

(a) The following rates and charges are established for the use of and the service rendered by the Town gas distribution and services system:

Base Rates

General Rate

All Services including space heating                   Rates

First 0.5    MCF                                                         $15.4635

Next 4.5    MCF                                                             7.5961

Next 5.0    MCF                                                             6.8647

Over 10. 0 MCF                                                             6.4824

Minimum monthly billing will be $4.65 up to 0.3 MCF, and the rate adjustment for the above rates shall be on the basis of a rate tracking factor, occasioned solely by changes in cost of purchased gas and accomplished quarterly.

(Ord. 2-1997, passed 4/15/97)(Ord. 3-1997, passed 4/15/97)(Ord. 5-1998, passed 6/18/98), Ord. No. 9-2000, passed 7/20/00

Gas Tap Fee                         $495.00  (approved by Public Service Commission)

   (Ord. No. 6-1995; passed 7/18/95)

 

  1. All bills shall be due and payable within 17 days of the date of mailing. Bills unpaid eighteen days following beginning of collection period shall include a collection charge of 10% on the first $3.00 of unpaid billing and 3% on the balance of unpaid billing in excess of $3.00.
  2. Written disconnection notice will allow 14 days, from the date of mailing, for disconnection of services. The reconnection charge is increased to $20.00 per utility service upon the payment in full of the delinquent bill.  The town will continue the practice of entering into separate agreements with customers of the Lapel Municipal Gas System, Water System, and Sewage System for repayment of delinquent bills in an attempt to avoid the disconnection of such services.  Resolution 1-1992, passed 5/19/92)
    1. It will be the policy of the Town of Lapel to assess a $20.00 service charge, to utility customers, who present payment by check and that check is returned due to non-sufficient funds (NSF) or such check is presented on a closed account.  Notification of assessment, by the town, of the $20.00 service charge, will be submitted in writing and due and payable in 30 days upon written notification to the customer. (Resolution 3-1994, passed 3/15/94)
    2. Disconnection
      1. If property is a rental property, notify the property owner of impending disconnection to verify whether the utilities are to be left on in the owners name or disconnected.
      2. If property has been sold, verify when new owner will be in to make meter deposits.  If no deposits are received, the utilities will be disconnected until the new owner makes meter deposits.
      3. If rental property and property owner requests utilities be left on in property owner's name, the new tenant will not be billed until all meter deposits have been paid.  If no deposits are received, utility bills will remain in the property owner's name. (Resolution 10-1997, passed 8-19-97)
    3. Seasonal shut off/reconnect fee for gas is $20.00 (Ord. 6-1998, passed 6/18/98)
  3. When deemed necessary by the Board, all grain elevators and private individual using natural gas to dry grain, all business establishments, churches, post offices, libraries, schools and other public buildings shall be notified by certified mail and all other natural gas consumers notified by publication in two (2) local newspapers of the following natural gas curtailments:
    1. All outside natural gas lights shall be turned off.
    2. Thermostats for room heating shall be set no higher than Sixty-Eight degrees Fahrenheit (68F).
    3. All portable natural gas space heaters that are used in conjunction with a furnace or stationary large space heater shall be disconnected.
    4. All business establishments, churches, post offices, libraries, schools, and other public buildings shall reduce thermostat settings to no higher than Fifty Five degrees Fahrenheit (55F) after business hours or when building is not occupied. 
    5. Use of natural gas by any grain elevator or private individual to dry grain shall be curtailed upon twenty-four (24) hour notice by telephone or letter from the Town Gas Company Superintendent.
    6. Customers shall close off all unused portions of buildings and homes to conserve the natural gas supply.
  4. No person or persons other than authorized personnel employed by the town shall disconnect, connect, alter, regulate, adjust, or tamper with, any water, gas or sewage utility line or service line, meter, or facility used for the distribution of water, gas and sewage by the Town.
  5. No interruption, adjustment or alteration of such utility service lines as defined in (c) shall be permitted other than as authorized in this section except in the case of emergency, and for the immediate protection and safety and wellbeing of persons or property in imminent peril.  The Clerk-Treasurer shall be notified immediately in the case of emergency and of any resulting interruption, connection or disconnection of utility lines and services.
  6. Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be fined an amount of not less than Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00), nor more than Fifty Dollars ($50.00).

('82 Code, Ord. No. 9-1982, passed 12/22/82) (Res. No. 1-1992, passed 5/19/92)

                                                              Codifer's note:

                                        ORDINANCE NO. -1996 PROVIDED:

 BE IT ORDAINED by the Town of Lapel, Madison County Indiana:

Pursuant to Indiana Code 8-1.5-3-9.1, the Town of Lapel of Madison County, Indiana, hereby removes the regulation of its municipal supplied utilities from the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission.

That all notice provisions of Indiana Code 8-1.5-3-9.1 have been fulfilled and this ordinance shall take effect 60 days after this date of adoption unless a petition is received, pursuant to Indiana Code 8-1.5-3-9.1(d). 

                                       ORDINANCE NO. 3-1982 PROVIDED:

 

"AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING RATES AND CHARGES FOR THE  USE OF AND SERVICES RENDERED BY THE MUNICIPAL GAS

SYSTEM        . . .

 

WHEREAS, the Board . . . has considered and investigated the financial  condition of the . . . Utility and 

WHEREAS, the Board now finds that the existing rates and charges for the use of and services rendered by the Utility are too low and insufficient to enable the Town to produce revenues sufficient to properly operate the Utility and maintain the Utility in a sound physical and financial condition to render adequate and efficient service; that increased revenues will improve the services rendered by the Utility and make the same of greater value to the Town and its inhabitants; and that the existing rates and charges should be increased; and,

WHEREAS, the Board now determines that the rates and charges for the use of and services rendered by the utility should be sufficient to include a reasonable return on the Utility plant and should include an amount sufficient to compensate the Town for taxes which would be due and collected by the Town if the Utility property were privately owned; now therefore, ***"

 

                                                                        ***

                                       ORDINANCE NO. 6-1975 PROVIDED:

"AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING CURTAILMENT REGULATIONS TO CONSUMERS

OF NATURAL GAS PURCHASED FROM THE . . . MUNICIPAL GAS COMPANY. 

WHEREAS, Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Company, has notified the Lapel Municipal Gas Company of natural gas curtailment for the future and, 

WHEREAS, penalties for use of gas in excess of these curtailments would create a hardship for the Lapel Municipal Gas Company, ***"

Further Information

'82 Code, Ord. No. 9-1982
Indiana Code 8-1.5-3-9.1 
Date Passed: 12/22/1982
Date Amended: 7/20/2000
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