§ 78-23. Government property.

In lieu of using the Uniform Assessment Collection Act to collect service assessments from government property, the county may elect to use any other method authorized by law or provided by this section as follows:

(1)

The county shall provide service assessment bills by first class mail to the owner of each affected parcel of government property. The bill or accompanying explanatory material shall include (1) a brief explanation of the service assessment, (2) a description of the unit of measurement used to determine the amount of the service assessment, (3) the number of units contained within the parcel, (4) the total amount of the parcel's service assessment for the appropriate period, (5) the location at which payment will be accepted, and (6) the date on which the service assessment is due.

(2)

Service assessments imposed against government property shall be due on the same date as all other service assessments and, if applicable, shall be subject to the same discounts for early payment.

(3)

A service assessment shall become delinquent if it is not paid within 30 days from the date any installment is due. The county shall notify the owner of any government property that is delinquent in payment of its service assessment within 60 days from the date such assessment was due. Such notice shall state that the county will initiate a mandamus or other appropriate judicial action to compel payment.

(4)

All costs, fees and expenses, including reasonable attorney fees and title search expenses, related to any mandamus or other action as described herein shall be included in any judgment or decree rendered therein. All delinquent owners of government property against which a mandamus or other appropriate action is filed shall be liable for an apportioned amount of reasonable costs and expenses incurred by the county, including reasonable attorney fees, in collection of such delinquent service assessments and any other costs incurred by the county as a result of such delinquent service assessments and the same shall be collectible as a part of or in addition to, the costs of the action.

(5)

As an alternative to the foregoing, a service assessment imposed against government property may be collected on the bill for any utility service provided to such government property. The board may contract for such billing services with any utility not owned by the county.

(Ord. No. 2004-03, § 3.03, 7-6-2004)