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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 02/17/2015 - SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 012, 2015, AMENDINAgenda Item 2 Item # 2 Page 1 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY February 17, 2015 City Council STAFF John Phelan, Energy Services Manager SUBJECT Second Reading of Ordinance No. 012, 2015, Amending the Code of the City of Fort Collins to Modify On-Bill Utility Financing Terms and Allow for On-Bill Utility Financing of Business Customers. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Ordinance, unanimously adopted on First Reading on January 20, 2015, amends City Code to update and expand the on-bill financing pilot program per the recommendations reviewed by Council at the October 28, 2014 work session and subsequent November 17, 2014 Finance Committee meeting. The objective of the On- Bill Financing pilot program (also known as the Home Efficiency Loan Program) is to provide residential utility customers with low-cost financing for energy efficiency, solar photovoltaic, and water conservation improvements to support the outcomes adopted in City of Fort Collins policies and plans, such as the Climate Action Plan, Energy Policy and Water Conservation Plan. The City Code revisions adjust interest rate and fee language and add on-bill financing sections for small business customers. On First Reading, Council discussed two specific topics: increasing the maximum allowable term to twenty years (not to exceed the useful life of the improvements ) and reducing the 2015 interest rate from the proposed 4% to 2.5%. Council requested additional information regarding the financial implications of these topics which has been added to the background section. The Ordinance language has been modified to clarify the maximum term (20 years, not to exceed the measure life). STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on Second Reading. BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION This Ordinance, unanimously adopted on First Reading on January 20, 2015, amends City Code to modify on- bill utility financing terms and allow for financing of small business customers. Council discussed two specific topics: increasing the maximum allowable term to twenty years (not to exceed the useful life of the improvements ) and reducing the 2015 interest rate from the proposed 4% to 2.5%. Council requested additional information regarding the financial implications of these topics. Loan Term Increasing the maximum loan term from 15 years to 20 years has pros and cons for both customers and Fort Collins Utilities. Customer Impact  This would reduce the monthly payment to homeowners for the loan repayment but increase the total of cost over the life of the loan. For example, a $5,000 loan at 2.5% interest for 15 years will have monthly payments of $33.34 resulting in the total repayment of $6,001. Over 20 years a $5,000.00 Agenda Item 2 Item # 2 Page 2 loan at 2.5% interest will have monthly payments of $26.50, or $6.84 less per month than the 15 year loan, but will have a total repayment of $6,358, or $357 more than the 15 year loan. Utilities Impact  Increasing the life of the loan increases the risk that the loan repayments will extend beyond the actual useful life of the improvements. This can be addressed by the program rules.  Increasing the life of the loan could increase the program operating costs. If debt is issued to fund the program with a different term than the loan program, the repayment schedules will differ and could increase direct program costs. As proposed, the loan program will have a portfolio of shorter and longer term loans. A debt based capital approach should be tailored to the portfolio, which the funded pilot program will help define. Interest Rate Reducing the interest rate from the proposed 4% to 2.5% also has pros and cons. Customer Impact  Lower interest rate is more attractive to customers, will reduce monthly payments or increase the scope of work and could increase program participation Utilities Impact  For capital coming from reserve funds, the difference between the “opportunity” interest rate and loan interest rate results in on-going direct costs for the program  For capital coming from borrowed funds, the difference between the borrowing interest rate and loan interest rate results in on-going direct costs for the program The following bullets describe a range for the annual direct cost impact of a lower interest rate for three representative portfolios. The actual costs will be determined by the mix of project types, loan terms selected by customers, outstanding loan amounts and source of capital.  $800k loan capital, 5 year term, reducing the interest rate from 4.0% to 2.5% results in a reduction in loan repayments of $6,424.  $5M loan capital, 10 year term, reducing the interest rate from 4.0% to 2.5% results in a reduction in loan repayments of $41,851.  $10M loan capital, 20 year term, reducing the interest rate by 1.5% (from 4.0% to 2.5%) results in a reduction in loan repayments of $91,292. ATTACHMENTS 1. First Reading Agenda Item Summary, January 20, 2015 (w/o attachments) (PDF) Agenda Item 16 Item # 16 Page 1 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY January 20, 2015 City Council STAFF John Phelan, Energy Services Manager SUBJECT First Reading of Ordinance No. 012, 2015, Amending the Code of the City of Fort Collins to Modify On-Bill Utility Financing Terms and Allow for On-Bill Utility Financing of Business Customers. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this item is to amend City Code to update and expand the on-bill financing pilot program per the recommendations reviewed by Council at the October 28, 2014 work session and subsequent November 17, 2014 Finance Committee meeting. The objective of the On-Bill Financing pilot program (also known as the Home Efficiency Loan Program) is to provide residential utility customers with low-cost financing for energy efficiency, solar photovoltaic, and water conservation improvements to support the outcomes adopted in City of Fort Collins policies and plans, such as the Climate Action Plan, Energy Policy and Water Conservation Plan. The City Code revisions adjust interest rate and fee language and add on-bill financing sections for small business customers. An update on the administrative elements of the program is provided. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading. BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION The purpose of the On-Bill Financing (OBF) pilot program (also known as the Home Efficiency Loan Program) is to provide residential utility customers with low-cost financing for energy efficiency, solar photovoltaic, and water conservation improvements to support the outcomes adopted in City of Fort Collins policies and plans, such as the Climate Action Plan, Energy Policy and Water Conservation Plan. The OBF program was established by Ordinance No. 033-2012 which revised language in Chapter 26 of the Municipal Code to enable Utilities to provide financing and on-bill servicing of loans for energy efficiency, water efficiency and renewable energy projects. The OBF program was launched in January 2013, and was reviewed by Council in August 2013 and October 2014 to understand results to date and determine next actions in managing the OBF program’s performance. City Council’s feedback at the fall 2014 work session indicated general support for the OBF program improvements and schedule presented by staff. Existing Program Development and Characteristics The OBF program was developed collaboratively by Utilities (Energy Services and Customer Finance (billing)), City Finance, and the City Attorney’s Office with assistance from the consulting firm Harcourt, Brown and Carey. The program was modeled after successful programs and is most succinctly described as a traditional loan program which is serviced by Utilities on customer’s monthly bills. The development process included feedback from the Energy and Water Boards and local stakeholder groups. Customers qualify based on their bill payment history and credit score, eligible projects are defined by Utilities incentive programs, and the loans are secured via a deed of trust recorded with Larimer County. ATTACHMENT 1 Agenda Item 16 Item # 16 Page 2 The Code changes adopted by Council authorize Utilities to provide financing services to meet the program deliverables. A key element of the program is that the loan payments are treated like any other element of a customer’s bill (e.g., electricity, water, wastewater and stormwater). With such treatment, loan payments are not differentiated from other services. Utilities normal and customary practices for non-payment apply, up to and including service disconnection. Utilities also has established rights under City Code for collection of any past due amounts at a property’s time of sale, also known as the “perpetual lien” ordinance. The program uses pre-existing standard capabilities of the Utilities billing system; no customization of the system was required (see below for pending updates). Customer qualification and loan closing services are provided in partnership with a third party financial partner, EnergySmart Partners LLC. EnergySmart Partners is a subsidiary of the non-profit Funding Partners, a local Fort Collins Community Development Financial Institution. The interest rate range is defined in Utilities’ residential rate ordinances. The City Finance Department developed a set of rules and regulations for administrative implementation of the OBF program. The OBF capital comes from Electric and Water Utility reserve funds, determined by the project type. The funding is a “balance sheet transaction,” where the funds are accounted for by moving from reserves to accounts receivable. As such, loan funding is not a typical expenditure or a budget item. Council has authorized Utilities for a maximum outstanding balance of $800,000 for the loan program. Should demand for financing reach this limit, Council authorization is required for additional funding. Program information, including details on customer and project eligibility, qualifications and loan terms can be found at fcgov.com/financing. 2015 Program Revisions A team comprised of staff from Utilities Energy Services, Customer Finance (utility billing), City Finance and IT, with support from the City Attorney’s Office, developed a set of recommendations for revisions to the current program. The recommendations were reviewed by Council in a work session on October 28, 2014 and subsequently by the Council Finance Committee on November 17, 2014 (summaries in attachments). The objectives of these changes are to:  Simplify the application and program processes  Improve the loan terms, and  Revise the structure to address residential rental and business lease properties. It is important to note several key aspects of the recommended revisions.  The revisions are interrelated, at times, in complex ways. The eligibility and qualification of customers and measures, the legal aspects of recording and administration, billing system capabilities, energy savings and loan terms all impact each other.  Actions required to implement the recommendations include those that require Council action and those that can be implemented administratively through the program rules and regulations.  Per the Council Finance Committee direction, the Program Financial Rules and Regulations note that the guidance for the annual selection of interest rates is intended to reflect the City’s cost of capital minus 100-200 basis points.  The recommendation for maximum loan term is 15 years. This value is based primarily on two factors. First is that 15 years is the norm for benchmark comparison programs representing industry best practices. The second is that the measure life for mechanical systems (e.g. furnaces and air conditioning) is typically set at 15 years. However, a longer term, up to 20 years, may be appropriate for certain measures with very long lifetime. These would include insulation, air sealing and windows. A longer term would reduce monthly payments, and could qualify additional projects to be bill neutral. Staff recommends that this topic be included for review when the rental and lease provisions of the program are implemented in January 2016. Agenda Item 16 Item # 16 Page 3 Program Revisions Attribute Revisions and Notes Date Interest Rates Allowable range from 2.5-10% per proposed rate ordinance 2015 rate at 4% per proposed financial rules and regulations Feb 2015 Customer qualification Minimum six months bill payment history Credit score minimum of 640 Feb 2015 Fees Fees are cost based for services 2015 fees of $25 for application, $150 for closing, $11 for recording Feb 2015 Recording UCC filing recorded with Larimer County Feb 2015 Loan term 5, 7, 10 or 15 years Selected by applicant Feb 2015 Customer eligibility Loans for small business customers (owner) April 2015 Rental and lease properties Loans on tenant bills for residential rentals and commercial leased properties (pending billing system customization) Jan 2016 FINANCIAL / ECONOMIC IMPACTS Council authorized a maximum outstanding loan fund of $800,000 through prior BFO offers and subsequent clarification of balance sheet reserve funding. As of October 15, 2014, $145,000 has been provided to customers for efficiency projects through the OBF program. The On-Bill Financing program element will add to the positive economic impact of the Efficiency Works Home Program. There are currently 24 participating contractors working with the program. Retrofit projects in 2014 represented an investment (by homeowners, supported by rebates) of approximately $1.5M towards improving existing home efficiency. Utility bill savings from improved homes also results in additional spending on local goods and services. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS The On-Bill Financing Program supports the City’s goals for energy use reduction through efficiency, carbon emissions reduction from improving the efficiency of the built environment and increasing local renewable energy production. Homes are seeing 5-50% (15% on average) energy reductions as a result of improvements made through the Efficiency Works Home Program. On-bill financing is incorporated as an integral offering of the Efficiency Works Home program materials and marketing. The Efficiency Works Home Program also directly addresses indoor environmental air quality. The audit, installation standards and project verification testing specifically address combustion safety of natural gas appliances and educate homeowners on other aspects of indoor air quality. BOARD / COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION At its January 8, 2015 meeting, the Energy Board approved a motion recommending City Council adoption of the ordinance being presented for first reading on January 20, 2015 amending the City Code to modify on-bill utility financing terms and allow for on-bill utility financing of business customers. The Water Board will discuss this topic at its January 15 meeting. Minutes from that discussion will be provided in the January 20 Read-Before packet. PUBLIC OUTREACH A public forum to gather feedback on the recommendations was held October 16, 2014 at the Senior Center. The forum was coordinated with community stakeholders, including the Community for Sustainable Energy. Agenda Item 16 Item # 16 Page 4 Second Reading of this Ordinance is scheduled for February 17, 2015, in order to allow for publication and mailing of notice of this change to out-of-city customers. ATTACHMENTS 1. Work Session Summary Oct 28, 2014 (PDF) 2. Council Finance Committee minutes, November 17, 2014 (PDF) 3. Energy Board minutes, January 8, 2015 (draft) (PDF) 4. Powerpoint presentation (PDF) - 1 - ORDINANCE NO. 012, 2015 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS AMENDING THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS TO MODIFY ON-BILL UTILITY FINANCING TERMS AND ALLOW FOR ON-BILL UTILITY FINANCING OF BUSINESS CUSTOMERS WHEREAS, since January 2013, Fort Collins Utilities has offered a pilot on-bill financing program to assist residential customers with financing for energy efficiency upgrades, and water supply line repairs and replacements (the "On-Bill Utility Financing Program"); and WHEREAS, the primary purpose of the On-Bill Utility Financing Program (or “Home Efficiency Loan Program”) is to provide utility customers with low-cost financing for energy efficiency, solar photovoltaic, and water conservation improvements to support the outcomes adopted in City of Fort Collins policies and plans, such as the Climate Action Plan, Energy Policy and Water Conservation Plan; and WHEREAS, the Program can also benefit Utilities business customers; and WHEREAS, the Financial Officer has established rules and regulations for the administration of the Program with respect to the billing and collection of utility fees and charges, credit and lending standards, and rates and administrative practices per Section 26-720; of the City Code; and WHEREAS, City Council previously approved the use of Fort Collins Utilities reserve funds to provide a maximum outstanding balance of $800,000 for the On-Bill Utility Financing Program in prior budgets, budget exceptions and balance sheet reserve actions; and WHEREAS, a key purpose of the pilot On-Bill Utility Financing Program has been to further support the policy goals of Plan Fort Collins, the Climate Action Plan, Energy Policy and Water Conservation Plan; and WHEREAS, the Program has been a valuable addition to Utilities' efficiency and renewable energy programs, which foster sustainability through energy and water use reductions, local contractors and investment in the built environment and improved home comfort, health and safety; and WHEREAS, the City Council has determined it is desirable to maintain an appropriate and predictable range of interest rates for loans in the pilot On-Bill Utility Financing Program, while providing some flexibility for administration of specific loans based on administrative procedures and standards adopted by the Financial Officer, pursuant to existing authority under Section 26-720 of the City Code; and WHEREAS, on January 8, 2015, the Energy Board reviewed and voted to recommend adoption of the proposed On-Bill Utility Financing program updates to the City Code; and - 2 - WHEREAS, in accordance with the foregoing, the Council is adopting revisions to Chapter 26 of the City Code, as set forth herein. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows: Section 1. That, for the reasons stated above, the City Council hereby finds and determines that the On-Bill Utility Financing Program as described herein will be for the betterment of the affected Utilities, and will be beneficial to the rate payers of those Utilities. Section 2. That Section 26-129 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins is hereby amended to read as follows: Sec. 26-129. Schedule D, miscellaneous fees and charges. . . . (f) The interest rate for water service-related loans shall be no less than two and five- tenths (2.5) percent and no more than ten (10.0) percent, per annum, with the interest rate for new loans to be set annually, based on the City’s cost of capital minus 100 to 200 basis points, in the administrative rules and regulations of the Financial Officer pursuant to § 26-720. (g) Loan-related fees for water service-related loans shall be set annually, based on related program costs, in the administrative rules and regulations of the Financial Officer pursuant to § 26-720. Section 3. That Section 26-130 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins is hereby amended to read as follows: Sec. 26-130. Agreements for special water services. . . . (b) Special services in the form of loans for water service-related improvements, conservation measures or efficiency enhancements shall be documented on forms determined by the Utilities Executive Director and the Financial Officer. Any such loans shall be made consistent with the applicable program requirements, credit and risk standards, fees and interest rate provisions as set forth in this Article and in the administrative rules and regulations adopted by the Financial Officer pursuant to § 26- 720. Obligations for repayment of any such loans are subject to the provisions of Article XII of this Chapter. . . . Section 4. That Section 26-289 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins is hereby amended to read as follows: Sec. 26-289. Miscellaneous fees and charges. - 3 - The following is a schedule of miscellaneous fees and charges: Description Amount (1) Connection fees and service charges Fees shall be set forth as in Subsection 26-712(b) (2) Industrial discharge permits: a. Administration $76.00 annually b. Surveillance Determined for each user annually, based on direct cost plus 15% indirect costs, billed monthly (3) Laboratory support services Determined on a case-by-case basis based on direct cost plus 15% indirect costs (4) Materials and labor provided by City Determined on a case-by-case basis based on direct cost plus 15% indirect costs (5) Charges for disposal at the Fort Collins Regional Sanitary Waste Transfer Station: a. Septic tanks, vaults, privies, portable toilets: Generated within Larimer County $0.071 per gallon Generated outside Larimer County $0.108 per gallon b. Recreational vehicle sanitary waste holding tanks: Residential customers of the City of Fort Collins Wastewater Utility No charge for individual disposal at Transfer Station Others $2.35 base fee plus $0.071 per gallon (6) Interest rate for wastewater service- related loans: 2.5% - 10% per annum; To be set for new loans annually based on the City’s cost of capital minus 100 to 200 basis points in the administrative rules and regulations of the Financial Officer pursuant to § 26-720 (7) Loan-related fees for wastewater service- To be set based on related program costs in the administrative rules and regulations of the - 4 - related loans: Financial Officer pursuant to § 26-720 (8) Miscellaneous fees Determined on a case-by-case basis based on direct costs plus 15% indirect costs Section 5. That Section 26-290 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins is hereby amended to read as follows: Sec. 26-290. Agreements for special wastewater services. . . . (b) Special services in the form of loans for wastewater service-related improvements, conservation measures or efficiency enhancements shall be documented on forms determined by the Utilities Executive Director and the Financial Officer. Any such loans shall be made consistent with the applicable program requirements, credit and risk standards, fees and interest rate provisions as set forth in this Article and in the administrative rules and regulations adopted by the Financial Officer pursuant to § 26- 720. Obligations for repayment of any such loans are subject to the provisions of Article XII of this Chapter. . . . Section 6. That Section 26-464 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins is hereby amended to read as follows: Sec. 26-464. Residential energy service, schedule R. . . . (q) Loans. Services in the form of loans for electric service-related improvements, conservation measures or efficiency enhancements shall be documented on forms determined by the Utilities Executive Director and the Financial Officer. Any such loans shall be made consistent with the applicable program requirements, credit and risk standards and interest rate provisions as set forth in this Article and in the administrative rules and regulations adopted by the Financial Officer pursuant to § 26-720. The interest rate for such loans shall be no less than two and five-tenths (2.5) percent and no more than ten (10.0) percent per annum, with the interest rate for new loans to be set annually, based on the City’s cost of capital minus 100 to 200 basis points, in the administrative rules and regulations of the Financial Officer. Obligations for repayment of any such loans are subject to the provisions of Article XII of this Chapter. Loan-related fees for electric service-related loans shall be set annually based on related program costs, in the administrative rules and regulations of the Financial Officer pursuant to § 26-720. . . . - 5 - Section 7. That Section 26-465 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins is hereby amended to read as follows: Sec. 26-465. Residential demand service, schedule RD. . . . (s) Loans. Special services in the form of loans for electric service-related improvements, conservation measures or efficiency enhancements shall be documented on forms determined by the Utilities Executive Director and the Financial Officer. Any such loans shall be made consistent with the applicable program requirements, credit and risk standards and interest rate provisions as set forth in this Article and in the administrative rules and regulations adopted by the Financial Officer pursuant to § 26- 720. The interest rate for such loans shall be no less than two and five-tenths (2.5) percent and no more than ten (10.0) percent, per annum, with the interest rate for new loans to be set annually based on the City’s cost of capital minus 100 to 200 basis points, in the administrative rules and regulations of the Financial Officer. Obligations for repayment of any such loans are subject to the provisions of Article XII of this Chapter. Loan- related fees for electric service-related loans shall be set annually based on related program costs, in the administrative rules and regulations of the Financial Officer pursuant to § 26-720. Section 8. That Section 26-466 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins is hereby amended by the addition of new subparagraph (s) to read in its entirety as follows: Sec. 26-466. General service, schedule GS. . . . (s) Loans. Special services in the form of loans for electric service-related improvements, conservation measures or efficiency enhancements shall be documented on forms determined by the Utilities Executive Director and the Financial Officer. Any such loans shall be made consistent with the applicable program requirements, credit and risk standards and interest rate provisions as set forth in this Article and in the administrative rules and regulations adopted by the Financial Officer pursuant to § 26- 720. The interest rate for such loans shall be no less than two and five-tenths (2.5) percent and no more than ten (10.0) percent, per annum, with the interest rate for new loans to be set annually based on the City’s cost of capital minus 100 to 200 basis points, in the administrative rules and regulations of the Financial Officer. Obligations for repayment of any such loans are subject to the provisions of Article XII of this Chapter. Loan-related fees for electric service-related loans shall be set annually based on related program costs, in the administrative rules and regulations of the Financial Officer pursuant to § 26-720. Section 9. That Section 26-467 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins is hereby amended by the addition of a new subparagraph (s) to read in its entirety as follows: - 6 - Sec. 26-467. General service 25, schedule GS25. . . . (s) Loans. Special services in the form of loans for electric service-related improvements, conservation measures or efficiency enhancements shall be documented on forms determined by the Utilities Executive Director and the Financial Officer. Any such loans shall be made consistent with the applicable program requirements, credit and risk standards and interest rate provisions as set forth in this Article and in the administrative rules and regulations adopted by the Financial Officer pursuant to § 26- 720. The interest rate for such loans shall be no less than two and five-tenths (2.5) percent and no more than ten (10.0) percent, per annum, with the interest rate for new loans to be set annually, based on the City’s cost of capital minus 100 to 200 basis points, in the administrative rules and regulations of the Financial Officer. Obligations for repayment of any such loans are subject to the provisions of Article XII of this Chapter. Loan- related fees for electric service-related loans shall be set annually based on related program costs, in the administrative rules and regulations of the Financial Officer pursuant to § 26-720. Section 10. That Section 26-712 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins is hereby amended as follows: Sec. 26-712. Utility bill and account charges authorized; procedures. . . . (b) The following account and miscellaneous fees and charges shall apply to all City utility customers receiving service pursuant to the terms of Chapter 26, whether within or outside of the corporate limits of the City, except as otherwise expressly stated: Fees and Charges Amount Service connection fee for account with one or more metered services (including nonmetered services for the same account) $ 19.65 Customer-initiated rate change (after 90 days of new service) 19.65 Service connection fee for account with only nonmetered services (stormwater, wastewater, wind, flat commercial electric, sprinkler clocks, cable towers and floodlights) 10.00 - 7 - Service fee to reinstate an account to the owner/ property manager between tenants $ 10.00 Manual meter reading charge, per month, charged to service addresses where metering equipment without remote communications capability is used, requiring an on-site visit to collect use data for water and/or electric service 11.00 per month Turn-off notice fee 10.00 Reconnect fee per service for water or electric following disconnection for delinquency 20.00 Trip charge for special services requested by customer during normal service hours 19.65 After-hours reconnect or after-hours trip charge for special service requested by customer – Water (after 5:00 p.m. weekdays or weekend/ holiday) 85.35 After-hours reconnect or after-hours trip charge for special service requested by customer – Electric (after 5:00 p.m. weekdays or weekend/ holiday) 85.35 Return item fee (check, electronic fund transfer, credit card, etc.) 25.00 Owner-requested repair disconnect fee, per trip 20.00 Research/document fee per hour 20.00 - 8 - Interest rate for utility service-related loans: 2.5% - 10% per annum; To be set for new loans based on the City’s cost of capital minus 100 to 200 basis points in the administrative rules and regulations of the Financial Officer pursuant to § 26-720 Loan-related fees for wastewater service- related loans: To be set based on related program costs in the administrative rules and regulations of the Financial Officer pursuant to § 26- 720 Section 11. That Section 26-720 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins is hereby amended to read as follows: Sec. 26-720. Administrative rules and regulations. The Financial Officer shall formulate and promulgate rules and regulations for the administration of this Article, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Article with respect to the billing and collection of utility fees and charges, credit and lending standards and rates and administrative practices for utility loan programs, which shall include, but not be limited to, efficiency-related conditions on loans for renewable energy development; extension of utility loans of up to twenty (20) years in total terms length, at the option of customersthe borrower, not to exceed the useful life of the funded improvements; and other matters relating to the administration of customer accounts. Said rules and regulations may regulate without limitation, the forms and procedures for giving notice to customers; policies for adjusting billed amounts as necessary to correct errors or for administrative efficiency or to achieve equity; procedures for appeals; and procedures for the documentation of liens. Any rules or regulations promulgated by the Financial Officer hereunder shall be effective upon the Financial Officer's filing of the same with the City Clerk. Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 20th day of January, A.D. 2015, and to be presented for final passage on the 17th day of February, A.D. 2015. Mayor ATTEST: - 9 - City Clerk Passed and adopted on final reading on the 17th day of February, A.D. 2015. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk