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Board hears annual review of utility-assistance program; donations steady and programers outline eligibility
Summary
The board received a status update on the county’s Utility Assistance Program, which is funded by customer donations and provided winter, year-round and one-time assistance; staff reported 81 customers were assisted since July 2024 with roughly $24,178 in payments and discussed donation mechanisms.
Joanne (Customer Care) presented the annual review of Los Alamos County’s Utility Assistance Program (UAP) to the Board of Public Utilities on June 4, describing program structure, eligibility thresholds and recent usage and donations.
Program basics: UAP is funded entirely through customer donations and provides three types of help: a winter-assistance program (October–March) with monthly assistance between $17 and $138; year-round assistance tied to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) eligibility; and a one-time hardship payment up to $350 once every 12 months for qualifying customers. To qualify for winter assistance under the current threshold, household income must be at or below 50% of the county’s median household income; staff noted an updated median (Census CDP) figure will change the threshold slightly in October.
Recent data: since July 2024 the utility fund disbursed $24,178 in aid to 81 customers. Staff reported LAHEAP provided $5,810 in assistance to local customers in that period and LA Cares provided $26,119. The UAP fund balance rose from $19,670 on July 1, 2024, to $23,352 as of April 2025.
Donations and payment options: customers can donate via a monthly amount added to their utility bill, a one-time remittance slip amount, by in-person drop-off or by purchases of branded items where proceeds go to UAP. The board discussed re-enabling an online donation option through the utility’s credit-card processor (Paymentus). Staff said the portal had been disabled previously after fraudulent attempts exploited a donation field; staff said they will investigate secure reactivation options but cautioned the enterprise’s payment system is primarily for utility-transactions and has constraints.
Board members asked whether donations to UAP are tax-deductible; staff said donations to UAP are not tax-deductible but charitable donations to organizations such as LA Cares (a separate 501(c)(3)) may be.
Staff noted LA Cares and county social services are important referral partners and that the UAP program aims to coordinate with those resources when larger assistance is required. A board member suggested exploring whether combining administrative paths for county- and nonprofit-run assistance programs could simplify access for customers; staff said they will look into feasibility but raised system and legal constraints.
Ending: Board members praised staff outreach and customer service. Chair Gibson and members asked staff to research secure online donation options and to return with any feasible changes.
