2.10. ERMUSR 06-12-2012 ?-1*Elk River
Municipal Utilities
13069 Orono Parkway
P.O. Box 430
Elk River,MN 55330
(763) 441-2020
UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING
TO: FROM:
Elk River Municipal Utilities Commission Theresa Slominski—Finance and Office
John Dietz, Chair Manager
Daryl Thompson, Trustee
Al Nadeau, Trustee
MEETING DATE: AGENDA ITEM NUMBER:
June 12, 2012 2.10
SUBJECT:
Policy for Returned Un-Paid Items revision
BACKGROUND:
We have a policy to charge up to $30(per MN State Statute 604.133)for items returned unpaid due to
insufficient funds. Currently, we charge $20 for this occurrence. If a customer has repeated occurrences
of submitting NSF payments, we put them on a"no checks accepted" status. We would like to charge an
additional fee of$20 if the customer repeatedly continues to try and submit a check for payment, once on
this status.
DISCUSSION:
To help explain the rational for such a charge, understanding the administrative handling of the payments
is necessary.When a customer is placed on a"no checks accepted" status,there is a notation placed on
their account. As check payments are posted to the customer's account,this notice appears and flags the
person posting that a check is an unacceptable form of payment. (At this time,the deposit has already
been created, and the posting file batch balance determined.) When this notice appears, 1)the batch
posting is stopped 2)the appropriate deposit is retrieved 3)the check is removed and the deposit ticket
redone for the new amount 4)the batch total is updated to agree to the deposit amount 5)the batch
posting is resumed and completed. This takes unnecessary staff time and creates inefficiencies. While it
does stop the payment from going to the bank and alleviating the handling of an NSF payment, the staff
handling time is about the same. We justify the $20 NSF charge for the administrative time it consumes.
The additional charge we are proposing would be justified the same.
To comply with state statute, we should have an ordinance adopted by the City Council ratifying this fee.
Typically this is done at budgeting time with any other fees we have in place. Should the Commission
agree with this additional fee now, they may choose to adopt the policy now and request an ordinance at a
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1 iiu1 R
Rel iable Public P O W E R E D To S E R V E
Power Provider
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later date with the other fees, or request an ordinance in close date proximity to the adopting of the new
fee and revised policy.
ACTION REQUESTED:
Staff recommends that the Elk River Municipal Utilities Commission approve this revision to the Policy
for Returned Un-Paid Items, and request an ordinance adoption by the City Council.
R.
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ELK RIVER MUNICIPAL
UTILITIES
POLICY FOR RETURNED UN-PAID ITEMS
Any items given in payment for services that are returned by the bank marked unpaid
shall be imposed up to a$30.00 charge (per MN State Statute 604.133), and assessed the
penalty of 10% if not paid by the 15t1i of the month.
After continued returned payments, Elk River Municipal Utilities reserves the right to
notify the customer that checks will no longer be accepted for payment on their account.
Further, if the customer receives notice, and continues to submit a check for payment, an
administrative fee of$20 will be charged to their account.
Effective 12/15/98
REVISED 8/22/2006
REVISED 6/12/2012