9.060 Fee Assessment.

(1) Annual Assessment. The City shall annually assess fees to each licensee based on the number and types of weighing and measuring devices licensed as of the first day of each year. The fee for each license shall be established by resolution of the Common Council based upon the annual assessment of fee to each licensee as determined by the number and types of weighing and measuring devices licensed.

The total of the fees assessed and the fees collected shall not exceed the actual costs of the weights and measures program.

(2) Clerk to Prepare Assessment Schedule. The City Clerk shall at least annually prepare a proposed schedule of assessments and the City Clerk’s proposed schedule shall be submitted to the Common Council. A copy of the proposed schedule together with notice of the date and time at which the Common Council will consider the assessments shall be mailed to each licensee.

(3) Common Council Determines Assessment. At least 10 days after such mailing, the Common Council shall consider the City Clerk’s proposed schedule of assessments and determine the schedule of assessments on a reasonable basis. The City Clerk shall mail to each licensee an invoice for the amount of the fee assessed to the licensee as determined by the Common Council and each licensee shall pay the fee assessed within 30 days after the date the invoice is mailed.

(4) Failure to Pay Assessment. If the assessed fee is not paid within 30 days of the date of mailing of the invoice, an additional administrative collection charge of 10 percent of the fee shall be added to the amount due, plus interest shall accrue thereon at the rate of one percent per month or fraction thereof until paid. If the licensee is the owner of the real estate premises where the licensed weights and measures devices are located, any delinquent assessment shall be extended upon the current or the next tax roll as a charge against the real estate premises for current services, as provided in Wis. Stat. § 66.0627. No licenses shall be issued or renewed under this section if the licensee is delinquent in the payment of a fee assessed under this section.

(5) Mailing of Notices. Schedules, notices and invoices shall be considered mailed to a licensee when mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid, to the licensee at the licensee’s address as shown on the application form.

(6) Change of Ownership. If the ownership of a commercial business licensed under this section is transferred during a license year, the new owner of the business shall be obligated to apply to the City for a license.

(7) Penalty Fee for Use of Unregistered Devices. Failure to make notification to the City within 72 hours of the addition or replacement of any new or used weights and measures equipment, including any scale, pump, meter, etc., shall lead to a penalty of triple the device fee as established by the Common Council for the year in which the failure to make said notification occurs. Payment of any fee mentioned in this subsection, however, shall in no way relieve any person or firm of the penalties that may be imposed for violation of this chapter.

[Prior code § 9.06]