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Home My WebLink About12, COVID-19 Customer Relief Program ACTION ITEM #12 19 Customer Relief-for COVIDConsideration of Temporary Programs 19 Customer Relief-for COVIDConsideration of Temporary Programs April 15, 2020 Temporary Programs for COVID Community•Customers•Board•Staff•19 crisis-District has been responding to COVID•BACKGROUND / HISTORY 19 Customer Relief-Temporary Programs for COVID19 Customer Relief- Temporary Programs for COVID line Board meetings-Conducting on•Closing District office to public•Prioritizing work•Working at home and digitally•Implementing operational changes•Practicing physical distancing, hygiene, and personal responsibility•Maintaining critical energy and water services to the community•Focus on mission critical work and employee safety•BACKGROUND / HISTORY 19 Customer Relief-Temporary Programs for COVID19 Customer Relief- Temporary Programs for COVID Staff safety is critical•Rotating crews•Critical work only•Prioritizing work•person only when necessary, physical distancing-Meeting in•Video conferencing, digital meetings, and phone calls•site work only when necessary-On•critical employees working at home-All non•Working at home and digitally if possible•Regular internal communications and daily implementation•Practicing physical distancing, hygiene, and personal responsibility•line, by phone, or through the mail-We are here to serve you on•Closing District offices to the public•Operational changes•BACKGROUND / HISTORY 19 Customer Relief-Temporary Programs for COVID19 Customer Relief- Temporary Programs for COVID Financial resources and contingencies •Adequate resources and support••Positioned the District to respond to emergencies•Improving meetings as we gain experience•Multiple ways to make public comment•Public can observe meetings via streaming video or participate with Zoom•line meetings per State requirements-Moved to on•Board steps to continue District governance•BACKGROUND / HISTORY 19 Customer Relief-Temporary Programs for COVID19 Customer Relief- Temporary Programs for COVID Procedures and protocols•Department meetings•mails-hands e-All•ommunicationscgoing internal -On•19 page plus social medial (FB and Twitter)-Website COVID•mails-advertisem ents, bill stuffer, and customer ePress releases, KTKE interviews/radio spots, bill stuffers, local •manage you account, pay bills, and sign up for emergency alerts’line account management tool ‘SmartHub’ can help you -‘TDPUD”s on•‘Please help us maintain critical energy and water services’•‘We are here to serve you’•ommunicationscTargeting external •Maintaining critical programs and services•Serving customer by adapting and communicating•BACKGROUND / HISTORY 19 Customer Relief-Temporary Programs for COVID19 Customer Relief- Temporary Programs for COVID 19 crisis)-deferred until after COVIDRequires customer complete a Residential Energy Survey (requirement •months)-months bill credit annually (highest in last 12-Provides 1•under contract with the DistrictCustomer intake and qualification performed by Sierra Community House •Must be a primary residential customer•Qualification categories for income level and for loss of 25% of income•Existing District program funded by Public Benefit charge•Payment Assistance Program•19 crisis-Suspended during the COVID•payment-Disconnects for non•Helping those in need•BACKGROUND / HISTORY 19 Customer Relief-Temporary Programs for COVID19 Customer Relief- Temporary Programs for COVID small portion to the Payment Assistance ProgramFY20 Conservation budget for the Water Utility is $100,000 with a •Assistance Program)FY20 Conservation budget for electric is $946,000 ($54,000 Payment •Primary funding source for energy conservation programs•Research and Development•Renewables•Low Income•Energy Efficiency•usage to all customers for the District to spend in four categoriesRequires that the District assess an additional charge of 2.85% of electric •Required by SB 1037 and regulated by the California Energy Commission•Public Benefit (PB) charges for the Electric Utility•BACKGROUND / HISTORY 19 Customer Relief-Temporary Programs for COVID19 Customer Relief- NEW INFORMATION Business customers•Residential customers•District staff seeking ways to serve those in need•Too early to forecast impact but will monitor and report back to the Board•customers for assistancepayment and requests from -District is starting to see an increase in non•numbers with many filing for unemploymentoffs or loss of income in increasing -Customers are experiencing lay•based businesses, construction, and real estate are hurting-Tourism•scope of offeringsessential businesses are forced to close or severely restrict their -Non•local economy and District customers19 crisis and restrictions are having severe impacts to the -COVID•19 Customer Relief-Temporary Programs for COVID19 Customer Relief-Temporary Programs for COVID NEW INFORMATION RES would continue to be deferred but provide benefits later•participationSierra Community House ready to dramatically expand program •Leverages existing programs and capacity•of incomefor State or Federal unemployment and those with other documented loss 25% loss of income qualification would apply to customers who have filed •back for existing participants)-month look-months bill credit (12Staff is proposing to temporarily increase the payment assistance to two •can document financial hardshipMeaningful and immediate way to help primary residential customers who •19 Customer Relief Program)-Program (COVIDOpportunity to expand temporarily the District’s Payment Assistance •19 Customer Relief-Temporary Programs for COVID19 Customer Relief-Temporary Programs for COVID NEW INFORMATION roposed total of almost $330,000pNew •$25,000 from the Water Utility from conservation budget•efficiency budget)$250,000 from the Electric Utility ($150,000 renewables and $100,000 energy •conservation program successterm -District needs a strong economy and customer base for long•19 restrictions-dramatically reduced due to COVIDMany energy and water conservation programs are suspended or •Opportunity to reallocate $275,000 within the Conservation budget••District’s Payment Assistance ProgramPotential budgeted funding sources to temporarily expand the •19 Customer Relief-Temporary Programs for COVID19 Customer Relief-Temporary Programs for COVID NEW INFORMATION dramatic increase in customer participationto exceed amount of $5,000 to $35,000 to compensate for the potential Sierra Community House contract would need to be amended from a not •until the reallocated funds are expendeddays after California (or locally) has ended the stay at home orders OR Program would take effect immediately and would remain in effect for 30 •term-Conservation program results would be impacted in the short•conservation programsNew participants would eventually be candidates for other District •District’s could serve over 550 primary residential customers (~15%)•Assistance ProgramsPotential impacts of temporarily expanding the District’s Payment •19 Customer Relief-Temporary Programs for COVID19 Customer Relief-Temporary Programs for COVID FISCAL IMPACT Sufficient funds exist for this reallocation•budget to the Payment Assistance Programwould reallocate $275,000 of the FY20 Board approved Conservation 19 Customer Relief Program -The proposed District temporary COVID•19 Customer Relief-Temporary Programs for COVID19 Customer Relief-Temporary Programs for COVID RECOMMENDATION House contract to a new amount not to exceed $35,000Authorize the General Manager to amend the FY20 Sierra Community 2.staff report19 Customer Relief Program as presented in this -temporary COVIDApprove the budget amendment and reallocation of $275,000 for the 1.19 Customer Relief-Temporary Programs for COVID19 Customer Relief-Temporary Programs for COVID