Effective 7/1/2018

A “High Volume User” is a customer whose average wastewater discharge to the
Town’s wastewater treatment plant exceeds 1,500 gallons per day on an annual
basis, and the minimum monthly rate for each high volume user shall be
determined on an annual basis by the Town Manager, and shall equal the
user’s pro-rata share of wastewater treatment plant debt and debt reserve
based upon sewer flow as follows:

Minimum Monthly Rate= (High Volume User’s Wastewater Flow/ Total Wastewater
Flow) X {Monthly Debt Repayment + Debt Reserve (10%)}, where wastewater flow
is based upon water records.

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Monthly Improvement Fee – $7.50
Delinquent Reconnect Charge – $40.00
Service Charge for Bad Checks – $40.00

Effective 7/1/2018

A “High Volume User” is a customer whose average wastewater discharge to the
Town’s wastewater treatment plant exceeds 1,500 gallons per day on an annual
basis, and the minimum monthly rate for each high volume user shall be
determined on an annual basis by the Town Manager, and shall equal the
user’s pro-rata share of wastewater treatment plant debt and debt reserve
based upon sewer flow as follows:

Minimum Monthly Rate= (High Volume User’s Wastewater Flow/ Total Wastewater
Flow) X {Monthly Debt Repayment + Debt Reserve (10%)}, where wastewater flow
is based upon water records.

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Monthly Improvement Fee – $7.50
Delinquent Reconnect Charge – $40.00
Service Charge for Bad Checks – $40.00

Here is the outline the process of disconnections and/or terminations of utility services for non-payment by the Town of Big Stone Gap as permitted by Virginia Code Section 15.2-221.

Policy/Procedure:
1. Customer bills are generated monthly. Bills are mailed at the beginning of each month and are due on the 15th of each month, unless this date falls on a weekend or a holiday, in which case the bill shall be due on the next business day.

2. Should a payment not be received by the due date, a 10% penalty shall be applied to the account.

3. The Account Clerk will generate a report of any account with a 60 day or greater past due balance of at least $40.00 to process courtesy calls through the automated notification system. At least one courtesy call is given prior to the disconnect date.

4. The disconnect date is to be 45 days after the due date of each month unless the Town Manager determines that this date is not practical in any given month.

5. Disconnections of residential customers shall not occur when the forecasted temperature low is at or above 92 degrees Fahrenheit within the 24 hours following the scheduled disconnection. The utility shall refer to the forecasted local temperature provided by the National Weather Service where the customer to be disconnected is located.

6. Disconnections for nonpayment shall not occur on Fridays, weekends, state/Town of Big Stone Gap holidays, or the day immediately preceding a state/Town of Big Stone Gap holiday.

7. The Town of Big Stone Gap website shall contain a copy of this disconnection policy for viewing by customers.

8. Customers paying between the due date and the disconnection date must pay the balance including penalty to avoid disconnection, unless:

8.1. The customer has an active payment plan;
8.2. The Town Manager has determined that extreme mitigating circumstances warrant deferring the disconnection date, or;
8.3. The customer has a documented serious medical condition that causes them to fall under the provisions of 20VAC5-330 in the Virginia Administrative Code.

9. At the close of business on the day before the disconnect date, the Data System Coordinator or Account Clerk will print an updated list of accounts with a 60 day or greater past due balance of at least $40.00. This list is reconciled with payment plans

10. Once the list is finalized after the close of business on the day before disconnection, the nonpayment/reconnection fee is applied to each delinquent account.

11. Once the disconnection fee is added, the customer must pay the 60 day or greater balance, penalty, and reconnect fee to have service restored. Service will be restored within 48 hours of payment on the account.

12. On the day of disconnections, the Meter Readers are provided with a current list of delinquent accounts scheduled for disconnection.

13. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE METER READERS TO ACCEPT PAYMENTS IN THE FIELD.

14. After a customer pays the amount required to have service restored, the Account Clerk will notify the Meter Readers to restore service by generating a work order. Service must be restored within 48 hours of payment.

Garbage collection is available inside of the Corporate Limits of the Town only. The residential fee for weekly collection is $11.00 per month. Commercial fees are based on the frequency of collection required.

Dumpsters $5.50/cubic yard/weekly pickup (4cubic yards 1xweek = $22).

An annual vehicle license tax on each vehicle required to be licensed will be due on or before December 5th of each year. Vehicle and license fee are as follows: