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Board to consider raising minimum and maximum utility assistance amounts
Summary
Staff proposed increasing the minimum winter/year‑round assistance from $17 to $20 and the maximum from $138 to $158 starting Oct. 1; staff reported the program helped 86 customers this fiscal year and the fund balance is about $26,013. The proposal will return in two weeks for board approval.
On Sept. 3 Joanne presented proposed changes to the DPU Utility Assistance Program aimed at adjusting benefit levels to account for recent rate increases. The recommended adjustments would raise the minimum winter and year‑round assistance amount from $17 to $20 and increase the maximum from $138 to $158 effective Oct. 1.
Program data: Joanne said the assistance fund balance at the end of the fiscal year was roughly $26,013. Over the fiscal year the program helped 86 customers and provided $26,529 in assistance. She compared current and proposed assistance levels to projected October 2025 typical bills and adjusted the amounts by roughly 14 percent to match rate changes.
Administration and donations: Staff described donation mechanisms (monthly opt‑in on customer bills, one‑time donations, merchandise fundraisers). Board members asked whether the online payment portal supports donations; Joanne explained monthly opt‑ins that appear on bills can be paid through the portal, but one‑time portal donations were not enabled at present.
Next steps: The board did not vote on the change at the meeting; Joanne said staff will return with the redlined rule and a formal approval request in two weeks.
Quote: “By the end of the year, help 86 customers … and we provided $26,529 in assistance over the fiscal year,” Joanne said.
