By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The city has announced a new round of utility bill assistance for Sitka residents, with those who received an award in the first round automatically qualified for the new payments without making a new application.
The Assembly made the decision Sept. 24 to allocate an additional $1 million in CARES Act funds to utility assistance. This time, only residential accounts will receive assistance, and those who did not apply for the first round may sign up for the new funding through Oct. 16.
“... the criteria for having an open account has changed from being open by March 15 to July 1 of this year,” the city’s announcement says.
Those who received the subsidy in the first round starting in August are immediately eligible for this round, and don’t need to apply again - “and should not apply again,” Finance Director Melissa Haley said. The city is also providing an option to opt out, “if you are no longer facing hardship due to COVID. This will allow more funding to reach those who need it.”
“If you received the first subsidy but do not want the second subsidy, please call 747-1818,” the announcement says.
First-time applicants are being asked to apply online at cityofsitka.com. Computers at the library are available to those who don’t have one at home, Haley said.
The Assembly originally set aside $4.5 million in CARES Act funds for utility and moorage subsidies, with up to $1,000 available for a residential account, and up to $3,000 for businesses. The moorage subsidy covered three months of harbor fees. Some $1.8 million was left from the $4.5 million after the first round of distributions.
The Assembly heard public testimony at last Thursday’s special meeting about residents who are still struggling – or didn’t know to apply – after the first round of utility help, and decided to make $1 million available for “Phase II” of the utility subsidization program.
No specific amount was specified for the awards this time, and instead the $1 million “will be evenly divided among all approved applications,” the city announcement said. Close to 1,700 applied for utility help in the residential category under Phase I, the finance department said.
The application period opened Tuesday for Phase II.
