13-1018j. Same; tax levy; election; when; when charges to be made for use of system.
The governing body of such city shall provide for the payment of said bonds and the interest thereon as the same become due and payable by the levy of a general tax on all taxable property in such city. And the governing body of any such city is hereby authorized to levy an annual tax on all real, personal and mixed property in such city, to be used exclusively for the purpose of maintaining and operating sewage-disposal works. The revenue derived from such tax shall be kept in a separate fund by the city treasurer and shall be used for no other purpose: Provided, however, That before said bond issue shall be made, the issuance thereof and the building of said plant shall be submitted to the vote of the citizens of said city at a general or special election, said time to be selected by the governing body of said city, and on the ballot of said general or special election there shall be written the following: "Shall sewage-disposal plant be built by the issuance of bonds? Two squares, one followed by the word 'Yes' and one followed by the word 'No,' and a cross shall be marked in the square indicating the voter's intent." A majority of the votes cast at said election on said proposition shall govern, and the governing body be guided thereby: Provided, however, That the governing body of said city may issue internal improvement bonds in a sum not exceeding $25,000 without submitting such issue to the vote of the people, for the purpose of making a preliminary survey, employing engineers for such work and making plans and specifications for such sewage-disposal plant, and for paying costs of a special election, if held.
Any person, firm or corporation outside of the city limits and now discharging sewage into the sewage system of the city, or who shall hereafter discharge sewage into said sewage system, shall be required to pay a fair and reasonable compensation annually to the city for the maintenance and operation of said disposal plant. The amount of compensation shall be fixed by the governing body of said city and shall be based upon the amount and character of the sewage so discharged, the cost of operation and maintenance, the capital invested and obsolescence of said disposal plant.
Any person, firm, corporation, association, municipality or any body politic operating outside of the city limits who may hereafter desire to use the sewer system of any such city, or who shall use the same, shall, after the construction of such sewage-disposal plant and before discharging any sewage into the sewage system of such city, secure a permit from the governing body of such city for the purpose of discharging sewage into the sewage system of such city, and shall pay a fair and reasonable compensation annually, having regard for the amount and character of sewage discharged into the sewer system of such city, the maintenance, operation, capital invested and obsolescence of said disposal plant, which amount of compensation shall be determined by the governing body of the city.
The amount to be paid by such person, firm, corporation, association, municipality or any body politic outside of such city may be readjusted from time to time, and in no case shall such permit or compensation amount be fixed for a period to exceed five years. Such funds so collected shall be used by the governing body of the city in defraying the expense of maintaining and operating such disposal plant: Provided, however, That the governing body of any such city may, at its discretion, provide by ordinance for the collection of sewer rental charges to cover maintenance and operating costs of the sewage-disposal plant, and may apportion such charges among those discharging sewage into said sewer system in proportion to the quantity and strength of sewage produced and discharged into said sewage system.
History: L. 1929, ch. 123, § 5; March 7.