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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1985-049 Agrmt - Energy Asst ProgramCONTRACT "B" FY 1986 LOW-INCOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM CONTRACT FOR PUBLICLY-OWNED UTILITIES PARTIES 1. State of Oregon, Department of Human Resources, State Community Services and its agents, hereinafter called SCS, and; 2. City of Ashland Electric Depto , hereinafter called HES (Home Energy Supplier). PURPOSE OF AGREEMENT The purpose of this agreement is to provide a mechanism by which SCS and the HES can carry out the provisions of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program and specifically to assure that the funds available under this Act be used in accordance with the requirements of Title XXVI of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 (P.L. 97-35) and Title VI of the Human Services Reauthorization Act of 1984 (P.L. 98-558). (The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program shall be referred to in this agreement as LIEAP.) No HES shall be paid without signing an agreement for payment. Therefore, in exchange for the mutual promises herein, the parties agree to the terms and conditions set forth below: DEFINITIONS An "eligible household" is one that has applied for and been approved for energy assistance and for whom the HES has been notified by SCS that payments will be made to HES on behalf of that household. 0 "Account Payments" are payments which SCS pays to the HES on behalf of an eligible household and may include prepayment for fuel prior to its delivery as well as payment for bills incurred by the applicant prior to the date of the application for LIEAP assistance and credit applied for future usage. SCS CONDITIONS SCS or its agents will notify the HES of payments to be made on behalf of its customers with an Energy Assistance Authorization. This notification can be made orally, if necessary, but will always be verified with a written authorization. An Energy Assistance Authorization will contain the eligible household's utility account number, the name of the person applying for energy assistance, the name appearing on the HES account for the eligible household, the address of the eligible household and the amount of energy assistance for which the household is eligible as well as an authorization number. LIEAP FY 1986 CONTRACT "B" Page -2- o 0 SCS shall pay all valid Energy Assistance Authorizations promptly and no later than 45 days after eligibility is established for a household by SCS or its agents. SCS will notify all eligible households of the amount of payments made on their behalf to a HES. SCS or its agents shall keep the HES informed in a timely manner of any pertinent changes in LIEAP operation caused by federal or state modification of the regulations. HOME ENERGY SUPPLIER CONDITIONS 1. The HES may refer its customers to SCS, or its agents, for assistance. e The HES agrees to charge a household, in the normal billing process, the difference between the actual cost of the home energy used by that household and the amount of the payment made by SCS to the HES on behalf of that household under this agreement. e e The HES agrees not to discriminate, either in the cost of goods supplied or the services provided, against the eligible household on whose behalf payments are made, including service charges, reconnection charges and payment plan arrangements. The HES agrees that no household receiving assistance under LIEAP will be treated adversely because of such assistance under applicable provisions of state law or public regulatory requirements. Se A credit notation will be promptly applied by the HES to the eligible household's account as soon as notification is received of authorization for a valid payment from SCS or its agent. SCS will provide copies of bills, if available, with the authorizations that are mailed to the HES. If possible, a line identifying the payment as LIEAP funds will appear on the billing statement after it has been received by the HES and as long as any portion of it is still being carried as a credit. Payments will be credited to the household's account promptly after being received by the HES and no later than the next billing cycle. e If billings include other than electricity charges, the LIEAP funds may not be used for those charges. A LIEAP payment may only be applied as a credit to electricity billings and a notation to that effect will be shown on statements. If this is not possible, the balance remaining, after payment is applied to the electrical portion of the bill, shall be returned to the eligible household within 30 days of receipt of the payment. 7. If the HES has received notification of the payment and it is not received within 45 days, the HES shall contact SCS. LIEAP FY 1986 CONTRACT "B" Page -3- lO. ll. 12. 13. 14. A reconnection charge or security deposit will not be charged to any eligible household except where such charges were company policy prior to October l, 1986. LIEAP payments can be applied to those charges, if necessary. All deposits and accrued interest become the property of the eligible household and shall be returned to the household at the time specified in the deposit agreement. If interruption in service to the eligible household has occurred, reconnection of service will be made promptly upon notification of authorization for payment by SCS. If a deposit is to be charged or a balance is still owed after the LIEAP payment has been applied, there should be arrangements made for payment of that amount. The payments should be made in equal installments after execution of the agreement, in addition to payments on current bills, if applicable. Disconnection can take place after a reasonable notice if a customer fails to abide by terms of the installment agreement. In the event that services cannot be delivered by the HES because the eligible household has been disconnected for non-payment of service prior to notification of eligibility by SCS and cannot be reconnected because the eligible household will not enter into a payment agreement under terms acceptable to the HES, the HES will send to the eligible household any energy assistance account payment received by HES on behalf of the eligible customer within ten days of that decision. If payment has not been received, the HES will notify SCS to send the payment directly to the household. In the event that services cannot be delivered by the HES because of a discontinuation of service, the full amount of the unused line of credit shall be returned to the eligible household or forwarded to the new HES if the eligible household requests that be done. This shall be done prior to the next billing cycle. In the event the customer cannot be located after service is discontinued, the full amount of the unused line of credit shall be returned to SCS as soon as possible and no later than 45 days after the service has been terminated. All payments returned to SCS shall be accompanied by a notification showing the HES name, the household's name, the Energy Assistance Authorization Number, the amount returned on behalf of the eligible household and the date and reason for return. In the event of death of the applicant after notification of eligibility, the funds belong to the estate of the deceased. If there is none, the funds should be returned to SCS with proper notification. The HES will maintain an adequate accounting system to allow SCS to verify the amount of home energy delivered to eligible households for which payment was made by SCS, if necessary. Auditors and/or investigators of SCS shall be allowed access to such LIEAP records as the vendor may have which SCS determines are reasonably needed to monitor and review the vendor's compliance with the provisions of this agreement and to cooperate in the conduct of such reviews. LIEAP FY 1986 CONTRACT "B" Page -4- 15. If requested by the customer or SCS, the vendor will provide, at no cost to SCS or the customer, an annual consumption record for eligible customers. This agreement is effective upon execution by both parties. Acknowledgement of this agreement shall be forwarded to all HES branch offices. This agreement shall terminate upon the earlier of the following events: a change in the requirements of Title VI of the Human Services Reauthorization Act of 1984 (P.L. 98-558), a change in the federal or state regulations promulgated thereunder, a change in the State Plan for administering LIEAP or thirty days after written notice of termination by either party. Termination by either party shall not discharge any obligation owed by either party to the other or to an eligible household if such obligation was incurred during the effective period of this agreement. Please sign two (2) copies and return to SCS by September 15, 1985. A signed copy will be returned to the address below. HOME ENERGY SUPPLIER STATE OF OREGON STATE COMMUNITY SERVICES Si gnatUre ' City of Ashland Electric Depto Company Lo Gordon Medaris Name (printed) Mayor Ti tl e (p'ri nted) Lawrence R. Craig, SCS Manager 207 Public Service Building Salem, OR 97310 (503) 378-4729 (503) 482-3211 Telephone 20 Eo Main Sto Address Date: Ashland, OR 97520 City State ZIP Same Mailing Address for ~ayments Same City State Date: September 4, 1985 ZIP Please attach names, addresses, telephone numbers, and contact persons of all branch offices and current rates. Da¥id Fadden, 20 Eo Main Street, Ashland, OR 97520 0441s Karen Huckins, 20 Eo Main Street, Ashland, OR 97520