By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Applications are coming in slowly from Sitkans for the up to $100 per month in assistance paying city utility bills in the coming year, city staff said.
The deadline is October 31 to apply for the city subsidy, which was increased this year from a maximum of $65 to a maximum of $100 per month per household.
The current application period is for the calendar year 2023, although those currently receiving assistance this year are already receiving the higher amount, city finance director Melissa Haley said.
The Assembly approved the program in 2018, and set qualifications which are the same today. Residents qualify for the program through participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Baranof Island Housing Authority, Medicaid or the national school lunch program.
“You sign up every year, and you need to meet one of the four,” Haley said.
This year’s application period started August 1.
The original legislation was sponsored in the Assembly by Bob Potrzuski, Tristan Guevin and Kevin Knox.
Potrzuski, who moved away in 2019, said he’s pleased the program is still going on.
“There are folks in the community whose pay is not going to increase as much as utilities increase, there are people on fixed incomes,” he said. “I still think it should be a needs-based program....”
This year, the Assembly increased the program budget to $356,400 to make the $100 subsidy available starting July 1, and be enough for the rest of this year and calendar year 2023.
In approving the higher figure, Assembly members took note of the utility rate increases starting July 1: 4 percent for electric, 5 percent for water, 8 percent wastewater, and 7.5 percent solid waste.
An 8.3 percent rate hike was approved for harbor stallholders.
The first application period was in late 2018, and the first subsidies of up to $65 per month, based on the number of applicants, were distributed in 2019.
The amount distributed depends on the number of applicants, which varies year to year, Haley said.
The first year, $40,000 was distributed; $71,000 in fiscal year 2020; $69,000 in fiscal year 2021; and $67,000 in fiscal year 2022.
The program is expected to cost $198,200 in fiscal year 2023.
Haley said last year saw a big increase in applications – from the usual 100, to 175 - in 2021. She said one of the reasons for the increase was that the national school lunch program was open to all, as a COVID relief measure.
“Anyone could qualify for free and reduced lunch, so more were getting that documentation,” she said.
The intent of the ordinance years ago was to create an application process that was not onerous. Haley said if an application is not submitted correctly, city staff can help.
In the past, the relief amount a resident received was based on the budgeted amount, divided by the number of applicants, with a maximum of $65 per month. The figure approved for this year was intended to ensure $100 per month payouts, Haley said.
The city’s webpage at cityofsitka.com has a link to a one-page application and instructions, under “Current News.” Applications also are available at the utility payment office on the first floor of City Hall.
Those needing more information may call the finance department at 907-747-1859.
