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HomeMy WebLinkAboutO-1014ORDINANCE NUMBER 1014 AN ORDINANCE TO PROMOTE THE PUBLIC SAFETY, HEALTH AND GENERAL WELFARE OF THE RESIDENTS OF FAIRHOPE, ALABAMA BY PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF AN EMERGENCY UTILITY FUND FOR VOLUNTARY DONATIONS: BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FAIRHOPE, ALABAMA, AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. There is hereby established by the City a fund to be known as the Emergency Relief Fund, which fund shall consist solely of donations made by utility customers for the express purpose of assisting needy persons with payment of their Fairhope utilities in cases of emergency. Section 2. The chief officer of the utility meter and billing department be, and hereby is, authorized and directed to alter the city utility bills to include a check -off box and an amount box to be used by those persons wishing to make a donation to the Emergency Relief Fund on a month -to -month basis. Section 3. All persons receiving bills for Fairhope Utilities shall have the option to participate in the voluntary relief fund by checking the appropriate box on the bill head and filling in any whole dollar amount of one dollar or more to be added to their bill for that month as a contribution to the relief fund. Contributions shall be strictly voluntary. Section 4. The City Clerk, or her deputy, be and hereby is, authorized and directed to establish a fund in a local bank designated as the Emergency Relief Fund of the Fairhope City Utilities Department and to draw against such funds at the direction of the hereinafter established Emergency Relief Committee to the extent of availability of funds. Overdrafts against such account are not hereby authorized. Section 5. There is hereby established a relief fund oversight committee which shall be known as the Emergency Relief Committee. The committee shall consist of three (3) members who shall serve for terms of two years respectively, or until successors are appointed. In the event that a member resigns or is unable to continue to serve on the committee, the appointing authority shall appoint a replacement for such member. The members shall be appointed as follows: One Member - appointed by Ecumenical Ministries One Member - appointed by the Fairhope Ministerial Association One Member - to be appointed by the Mayor. The duty of the Committee shall be to review requests for emergency assistance by persons needing help with payment of utilities billed by the City of Fairhope only, and to direct payment by the City Clerk from the Emergency Relief Fund to the billing department in appropriate cases. Funds are to be disbursed in cases of emergency relief only and not in routine assistance with bill payments. The Committee shall appoint a chairman and a vice -Chairman from among the members, which officers shall serve for one year or until a successor is elected. Meetings shall convene at the call of the Chairman, or, in his absence, at the call of the vice -Chairman. A quorum shall consist of not less than two members and the concurring votes of two members shall be final for the matter under consideration. The Committee shall submit a quarterly report to the Council through the Mayor on the third business day of each fiscal quarter showing the activity of the preceding quarter. Section 6. This ordinance shall not be included in the codification of ordinances. Section 7. Severability and Validity Each part and each provision of this ordinance is severable from all other parts or provisions. Should any part or provision thereof be declared by the courts to be unconstitutional or invalid, such declaration shall not affect any other part or provision of this ordinance. Section 8. This ordinance shall take effect upon its due adoption and publication as provided by law. ADOPTED THIS THE 9TH DAY OF JUNE, 1997. r S Y. NIX, Mayor ATTES Genlece w. Jonpon, Deputy City Clerk