§ 17-263. Government property.

(a)

In the event fire rescue assessments are imposed against government property, the board shall provide fire rescue 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 fire rescue assessment, (2) a description of the unit of measurement used to determine the amount of the fire rescue assessment, (3) the number of units contained within the parcel, (4) the total amount of the parcel's fire rescue assessment for the appropriate period, (5) the location at which payment will be accepted, and (6) the date on which the fire rescue assessment is due.

(b)

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

(c)

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

(d)

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 fire rescue assessments and any other costs incurred by the board as a result of such delinquent fire rescue assessments and the same shall be collectible as a part of or in addition to, the costs of the action.

(e)

As an alternative to the foregoing, a fire rescue assessment imposed against government property may be collected as a surcharge on a utility bill provided to such government property in periodic installments with a remedy of a mandamus action in the event of nonpayment. The board may contract for such billing services with any utility, whether or not such utility is owned by the county.

(Ord. No. 03-13, § 3.03, 7-15-2003)