The Board of City Commissioners gave first reading July 24 to an ordinance creating a one-time Utility Assistance Program funded with $150,000 of the city’s ARPA investment interest, staff said. The program will provide up to $125 per eligible Ashland resident toward past-due water, sewer or garbage bills and is intended to help customers who have a shutoff notice.

City staff said the program is limited to Ashland residents because Ashland’s ARPA funds are the source of payment. “We chose Ashland residents due to the fact that it was Ashland’s ARPA money that is paying for it,” a city staff member said.

Staff described the enrollment and timing: residents who receive a shutoff notice may apply and staff will process applications immediately to prevent service termination. “The shutoff notice, they have, I think, 10 days, but they have 30 days before they get the shutoff notice. So they’re into day 40 before they are getting that,” the staff member said when explaining the typical shutoff timeline. The program will operate until the $150,000 allocation is exhausted.

Staff said the program is one-time, will be administered from the City of Ashland lobby and promoted through city social media by staffer Erica. Commissioners voted to approve first reading; final approval requires a second reading.

Eligibility, program cap and the one-time nature were the main limits discussed; staff said non-residents who receive Ashland water service are not eligible because the funding source is city ARPA funds.