What is a Municipal Users Fee bill?

It is the bill for curbside trash pickup and the maintenance of the Recycling Center.

The bills are sent out July 1 of each year. The period the bill covers is from July 1 of that year through June 30 of the following year.

No. Payment may be made in two installments. However, if one half of the bill is not paid by the due date stated on the July bill, a $5.00 late fee will be assessed. In January, you will receive another bill for the balance due. If the full balance is not received by the due date stated on the January bill, a $5.00 late fee will be assessed.

Late fees are assessed the day after the due date stated on the bill. Neither postmarks nor dates written on the checks are considered payment dates. The date stamped on the bill received by the Collector’s office is the official date the bill was paid.

Yes. However, the resident must fit certain criterion to qualify and the first one half of the MUF bill must be paid before the account will be abated.

The following is the abatement form the qualifying resident must fill out and sign:

_____ 1. Senior Citizen

(Must be 70 years of age or older by July 1 of this fiscal year), and

Live alone or with spouse only, and _____

and,

Own home _____

____ 2. Summer resident

_____ 3. Vacant property

(Must submit proof of vacancy by way of utility bills, etc.)

_____ 4. Other means of disposal

(Must submit proof of disposal receipts or written permission to use dumpster, etc.)

_____ 5. Other

Name: _______________________________________________________

Address: __________________________________ Unit #: __________

Date of birth (if applying for senior citizen abatement): _______________________

Signature: _______________________________________________________

Account number: __________ Map/Parcel #:____________

Abatement number: __________

Fiscal year: __________

Yes. If the property is completely vacant and will not be occupied for the rest of the fiscal year. This happens in the case of death, fire, future demolition of property, etc. Proof of vacancy is required by way of shut-off or minimal use of electricity or minimal water billing. We MUST be notified when occupancy occurs.

Unless you live in a complex where there is another means of trash pickup, i.e. trash disposal is included with the condo fee, you must apply annually. We have a record of the complexes that are serviced by another licensed trash hauler and each unit is abated ONLY after the first half of the bill is paid.

As you were the property owner of record on the date of billing, you are responsible for the entire bill. It must be paid in full and the stamped receipt presented at the closing for reimbursement by the buyer. Your lawyer or real estate agent should call the Board of Health office to make sure no debt is left on the account before the closing occurs.

The MUF bills are not prorated on a month-to-month basis. If you moved into your newly constructed house any time between July 1 and December 31, you owe the entire bill. If you moved into the newly constructed house anytime between January 1 and June 30, you only owe half of the amount. For the time period January 1 through June 30, you will receive the bill in its entirety, but when one-half total payment covering January 1 through June 30 is received, the other half (July 1 through December 31) of the bill will be abated.

The balance will be attached as a lien against the property. An amount of $40.00 and over will have a $100.00 lien fee attached as well. This means if a property owner has a $100.00 balance with a $5.00 late fee, a lien of $205.00 will be placed against the property and will show on the next property tax bill.