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HomeMy WebLinkAbout3458• • ORDINANCE NO. 3458 AN ORDINANCE of the City of Port Angeles, Washington, amending Port Angeles Municipal Code Chapter 13.20 relating to utility discounts. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT ANGELES DO HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. Ordinance 2663 as amended, and Chapter 13.20 of the Port Angeles Municipal Code relating to utility discounts are hereby amended by amending the following sections to read as follows: 13.20.010 - Purpose and findings. 13.20.020 - Defmitions. 13.20.030 - Utility discount. 13.20.040 - Information to be made available. 13.20.050 - Qualifications for the utility discount. 13.20.060 - Application for the discount. 13.20.070 - Calculation of discount. 13.20.080 - Penalty for false information. 13.20.090 - Administration 13.20.010 - Purpose and findings. The City Council of the City of Port Angeles finds that it is appropriate for the City of Port Angeles to provide a discount against electric utility charges to low income elderly and- disabled residents of the City. The Council further finds that this discount should be accompanied by energy conservation programs. 13.20.020 - Definitions. A. "Utility discount" means a discount granted pursuant to the terms of this chapter to a low- income - . _' ' - - . • • - resident, the amount of which is applied against outstanding obligations of the citizen resident to the City of Port Angeles for residential electric utility services. B. "Low income senior citizen Resident" means a person who Rresides within the City of Port Angeles and receives electric utility services from the City of Port Angeles. 2. Is 62 years of age or older; 1 • • /I. Is the head of a household; C. "Low income disabled citizen" means a person who: 1. Resides within the City of Port Angeles; 3. Is the head of a household; �. Qualifies for special parking privileges under RCW 16.16.381(1) through amount specified in RCW 70.161.020(1), a disability. 13.20.030 - Utility discount. There is authorized a utility discount for -each calendar year e- Commencing January 1, 19-92 2013. Subject to the availability of funds, a utility discount which di ee nt shall be applied to the electric utility charges on monthly utility bills of qualified low income s citizen and low income disabled citizens residents, in accordance with the terms of this chapter. The total amount available each year for discounts shall be established in the bud et. If the amount bud h eted is exhausted before the end of the calendar ear the discounts shall terminate for the remainder of that current calendar year. 13.20.040 - Information to be made available. The City's Customer Service Manager shall maintain at all times the following information which shall be current and applicable to current applications for, and awards e electric utility discounts under the terms of this chapter: A. A list of all Federal, State or local energy- related programs whiela are available to provide fiscal assistance to low- income senior and disabled citizens residents, for which B. A list of all conservation or consumption reduction programs of the City that are available at no charge - .. ' ' .. - . _ - - .... , and the requirements for each such program; C. Current application forms. 2 • • 13.20.050 - Qualifications for the utility discount. A. Each recipient of To be eligible for a utility discount, a resident must meet the following criteria: _ 2. Certify that he or she has completed an applic : - been denied, aid for all Federal, State, or local utility related programs available to provide A. Complete an Application for the discount in accordance with 13.20.060. B. The gross income of all members of the resident's household during the 3 months prior to the application must be $3,375.00, or less. Proof of household income can be furnished either by providing with the application, the paystubs for all residents in the resident's household for the prior three months, or a written notarized affidavit by residents in household attesting to household income, or other evidence commonly accepted as reliable and valid proof of income. Proof of income must be furnished every six months. C A ree to • artici s ate in available ener conservation or . ro rams of the Cit that are available at no charge to a low - income resident that is the property owner. Failure of a low - income resident who is the property owner to participate in an available energy conservation program, after receipt of a utility discount, shall constitute a basis for denial b the Cit of s artici s ation in the utilit discount . ro ram durin s the following year until such conservation measures are installed. 13.20.060 - Application for the discount. A. Applications for electric utility discounts shall be obtained from and filed with the City's Customer Service Manager or to another entity as directed by the City's Customer Service Manager. B. Submission of an application for an electric utility discount shall constitute a verification by the applicant that all information provided in such application is true and correct to the best of the applicant's knowledge. 13.20.070 - Calculation Amount of discount. Calculation of t The amount of the utility discount for eligible low income sethor or disabled citizens residents shall . • • . ... _ - - • - : procedure: A. The amount available shall be a percentage of the monthly utility bill. The . I. • • • 5 e 2. $8,000.00 $11,500.00 annual income 20% discount 3 • • 3. $11,501.00 $17,500.00 annual income 10% discount /1. $17,501.00 $21,000.00 annual income 5% discount B. The amount of discount to be received by any individual shall be reduced by the the customer's utility bill. be a percentage of the electric utility base and consumption charges on the monthly utility bill. The percentage shall be determined by the resident's gross household income during the prior three months, in accordance with the following: A. $0.00- $2,500.00 income: 30% discount B. $2,501.00 — $3,375.00 income: 20% discount 13.20.080 - Penalty for false information. The willful provision to the City of false information in an application for the electric utility discount shall forfeit the low- income senior or disabled citizen's resident's eligibility for future credits. Additionally, the low- income senior or disabled citizen resident shall be required to repay the amount of any electric utility discount received based upon such false information. 13.20.090 – Administration. The City Manager is authorized to cause the utility discount to be administered by City staff or to contract for the discount to be administered by a local not - for - profit organization that has the knowledge, skills, and ability to effectively administer the discount. Section 2- Severability. If any provisions of this Ordinance or its applications to any person or circumstances is held to be invalid, the remainder of the Ordinance or application of the provisions of the Ordinance to other persons or circumstances is not affected. Section 3 - Corrections. The City Clerk and the codifiers of this ordinance are authorized to make necessary corrections to this ordinance including, but not limited to, the correction of the scrivener's /clerical errors, references, ordinance numbering, section subsection numbers and any references thereto. Section 4 - Effective Date. This ordinance, being an exercise of a power specifically delegated to the City legislative body, is not subject to referendum. This 4 • • ordinance shall take effect January 1, 2013 after its publication by summary. PASSED by the City Council of the City of Port Angeles at a regular meeting of said Council held on the 7th day August 2012. ATTEST: sa Hurd, City Clerk APP VED AS TO FO illiam E. Bloor, City Attorney August 12, 2012 By Summary , ;rip__ 42c Cherie Kidd, May G \LEGAL \a ORDINANCES &RESOLUTIONS \ORDINANCES 2012 \15 - Senior Utility Discounts.06.13.12.docx 5 • Summaries of Ordinances Adopted by the Port Angeles City Council On August 7, 2012 Ordinance No. 3457 This Ordinance of the City of Port Angeles, Washington, relates to surplus property. Ordinance No. 3458 This Ordinance of the City of Port Angeles, Washington, amends Port Angeles Municipal Code Chapter 13.20 relating to utility discounts. The full texts of the Ordinances are available at City Hall in the City Clerk's office, on the City's website at www.cityofpa.us, or will be mailed upon request. Office hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Friday 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. These Ordinances shall take effect five days following the date of publication by summary. Publish: August 12, 2012 • Janessa Hurd City Clerk