Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance authorizes the Director of Public Utilities to reimburse Huntington National Bank for the reimbursement from the bank to a Department of Public Utilities customer.
The Department of Public Utilities recommends reimbursement to the Huntington National Bank to correct a customer bill pay error. On October 10, 2014, a Department of Public Utilities customer inadvertently authorized an electronic bill payment in the amount of $28,875.00 from their checking account to pay their residential water and sewer bill when the payment should have been $288.75. The electronic bill pay processor, Huntington National Bank, worked with the customer to correct the error. Huntington National Bank refunded the payment back to the customer while the electronic accounting corrections were made. It is now necessary to reimburse Huntington National Bank $28,875.00.
It is requested that this legislation be handled in an emergency manner in order to reimburse Huntington National Bank at the earliest possible date.
The Huntington National Bank (31-0966785) is contract compliant.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no budgetary impact. Revenues are not significantly impacted by this legislation.
Title
To authorize the Director of Public Utilities to reimburse Huntington National Bank for a customer bill payment error, to authorize a revenue reduction transaction of $28,875.00, and to declare an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Utilities recommends reimbursement to Huntington National Bank to correct a customer bill pay error; and
WHEREAS, the customer authorized an electronic bill pay transaction in the amount of $28,875.00 when they intended to authorize $288.75; and
WHEREAS, Huntington National Bank processed the electronic bill pay transaction and advanced the refund to the customer while the accounting was corrected; and
WHEREAS, Huntington National Bank is now owed $28,875.00 to resolve the electronic accounting correction; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Utilities, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to reimburse Huntington National Bank for a customer bill payment error in order to reimburse them at the earliest possible date, for the immediate preservation of public health, peace, property and safety; now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS
SECTION 1. That the Director of Public Utilities be and is hereby authorized to reimburse Huntington National Bank (31-0966785), 41 South High Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215, in the amount of $28,875.00.
SECTION 2. That a revenue reduction transaction in the total amount of $28,875.00, or as much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized from:
Water Operating Fund 600, Dept. 60-09, $11,648.81
Dublin Surcharge Fund 340, Dept. 60-09, $4,386.50
Sewerage System Operating Fund 650, Dept. 60-05, $12,839.69
SECTION 3. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this Ordinance is declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.