HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - No. 2008-105RESOLUTION NO. 2008-105
A RESOLUTION OF THE LODI CITY COUNCIL
APPROVING PUBLIC BENEFIT PROGRAMS, AND FURTHER
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE
NECESSARY PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENTS
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Lodi City Council does hereby
approve Public Benefit Programs for the following program extensions and/or renewals as
follows and as shown on the project descriptions marked Exhibit A attached hereto:
1) Lodi LivingWise Program- $20,000
2) Lodi Solar Schoolhouse Project - $10,000
3) Lodi On -Line Energy Audit Program- $9,500
4) Lodi SHARE Customer Verification & Certification Project- $18,000
5) Lodi CARE Package Program- $25,000
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Manager is hereby authorized and
directed to execute professional services agreements required for each Public Benefit
Program as outlined in Exhibit attached.
Dated: June 4, 2008
hereby certify that Resolution No. 2008-105 was passed and adopted by the City
Council of the City of Lodi in a regular meeting held June 4, 2008, by the following Vote:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS — Hansen, Hitchcock, and Katzakian
NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS — None
ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS — Johnson and Mayor Mounce
ABSTAIN: COUNCIL MEMBERS — None r7
1 JOHL
City Clerk
KIIII:WIN
EXHIBITA
1.Lodi LivinjzWise Prozram: Nearly 2,450 Lodi students and their families have participated in
this program since 2003. The program provides students and educators at Lodi area schools with
a useful tool that demonstrates energy and water conservation. The budget for the 2008-2009
school year (Lodi fiscal year) is $20,000. The funds allocated are paid to Resource Action
Programs of Modesto, California. This firm provides the energy efficiency kits (please see next
paragraph) to the classrooms, schedules delivery of said kits to meet the individual teacher
timeframes and produces a school -by -school report of efficiency savings once the program year
is complete.
For the 2008-2009 school year, Lodi Electric Utility staff is once again proposing to provide 437
energy and water conservation kits to 6" grade students throughout Ica. Each kit contains a
compact fluorescent lamp, an Electro luminescent (energy efficient) Night Light, a low -flow
showerhead, faucet aerators, a water leak test for toilets, tips on energy/water conservation,
specific ways to weatherize/insulate the home, and more. Once the kits are delivered to the
classroom, and the teacher has received their training packet, students are instructed on how/why
to implement the contents of the kit at their home. There are pre -installation and post -installation
course discussions that are provided to the instructors to ensure that the students are fully
engaged in the project. After the students have installed the contents of their kit at home, an
assessment is produced by Resource Action Programs staff to determine projected energy and
water savings associated with the installation of the various energy/water conservation measures.
To "kick-off' the project, an Electric Utility staff member will attempt to visit each classroom to
reinforce the significance of the project and discuss the importance of energy/water conservation.
While the project educates students on the importance of energy/water conservation, it also
complements the energy education curriculum mandated by the State of California for all 4"
through 6" grade students. Teacher feedback continues to indicate that our program is an
excellent "fit" for portions of their math, science and or energy education curriculum. The Lodi
LivingWise Program was implemented in thirteen (13) sixth -grade classrooms throughout the
community during the 2007-2008 school year.
2. Lodi Solar SchoolhouseProiect: Since 2002, over 1,200 Lodi students have been involved in
one aspect or another of this project. The Lodi Solar Schoolhouse Project is aimed at educating
students in grades 3rd through 12'' regarding the importance of renewable energy resources, like
the sun and wind, and the critical role these energy resources will most likely have on their
future.
To assist in implementing this program, Electric Utility staff will again utilize the professional
services of The Rahus Institute, a not-for-profit organization based in Martinez, California. For
the 2008-2009 school year (and Lodi fiscal year), the Lodi Solar Schoolhouse Project will have
several key elements, including: I" Annual Solar Schoolhouse Discovery Day, the Solar
Schoolhouse Summer Institute (provides funding for two Lodi educators to attend a week-long
renewable energy resource training camp), presentations on clean energy at the IaL Energy
Smart Workshop events, and delivery of the new DVD/book entitled `Teaching Solar' to area
educators. In addition, The Rahus Institute staff will provide in -classroom presentations where
requested, as well as ongoing consulting services to Lodi Electric Utility staff regarding solar
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and wind energy issues. The budget, and contract with The Rahus Institute, for this program is
$10,000.
As is the case with the Lodi LivingWise Program, the h d i Solar Schoolhouse Project
complements the energy education curriculum mandated by the State of California, allowing
numerous Lodi educators to fulfill this educational requirement.
3. Lodi On -Line Enerzy Audit Prorram: Lodi Electric Utility offers both on-site and on-line
energy audits for residential customers (on-site audits are also provided for small and medium-
sized commercial customers). The on-line service, known as the HomeEnermySuite, is provided
by the firm APOGEE Interactive. The on-line tool provides customers with the ability to
determine how their monthly energy dollars are expended. The tool also provides access to
lighting and appliance calculators, an educational `Kids Komer' and an energy conservation
reference library. On average, fifty to seventy-five customers per month utilize this free service.
The contract with APOGEE Interactive for the 2008-2009 fiscal year is in the amount of $9,500.
In addition to maintaining the database/on-line tool, APOGEE Interactive also provides monthly
updates on customer "hits" (how many customers are utilizing the service) and continually
updates the energy conservation reference library with new and emerging energy technologies.
4. Lodi SHARE Customer Verification& CertificationProiect: There are currently (as of May
1, 2008), 1,900 residential customers participating in the Lodi SHAREElectric Rate Discount*.
For eligible customers, this rate relief program provides a 30% monthly discount off the
published, standard EA (residential) electric rate.
In order to ensure that all current participants of the program are presently eligible to receive this
rate relief, the Electric Utility Department (EUD) is proposing to continue the "SHARE
Customer Verification & Certification Program" during the 2008-2009 fiscal year. To
successfully achieve the goal of this program, Lodi Electric Utility will again enlist the
professional services of the Salvation Army** (S.A.). The S.A. will randomly select 850 current
SHARE customers, and then verify and confirm that all 850 customers (households) are still
eligible to receive the aforementioned rate relief. If the customer meets the existing eligibility
requirements, the S.A. will notify the utility. Likewise, if a customer fails to meet said
requirements, the S.A. will notify the utility and that customer's rate relief will be discontinued.
The S.A., as stipulated in the attached contract, will charge the EUD $20 per customer
verificationlcertification (850 customer screenings `x' $20.00 = $17,000). NOTE the total
requested allocation for this program is $18,000; of this amount, $1,000 is earmarked for
customer outreach/notification, brochure and veil ficati on/certifi cation applications and other
materials as needed).
In the summer and early fall of 2007, the S.A. performed 692 customer assessments as part of the
Phase I `Lodi Share Customer Verification & Certification Project.' Of that total figure, 252
customers (36.5%) were removed from the rate discount for various reasons (including: customer
failed to meet income guidelines, customer had moved, customer was deceased, customer
voluntarily removed their name from the program). The total amount of the rate discount
received by these 252 customers during the 2006-2007 fiscal year was $83,751.66.
*In order to qualify for the SHARE Rate Discount, the customer is required to certify income eligibility. The
income levels for 1 to 4 persons in a household range from $22,000 to $31,100, and customers must show all proof
of income for all members (when applicable) of the household. In addition, the customer must sign a statement upon
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application indicating that the COL may verify the customer's eligibility at any time. If it is determined during the
verification process that a customer is not eligible to receive the discount, the customer will be removed from the
program and the COL may render corrective billing.
"The S.A. was selected to serve as the screening agent for this program for two reasons: 1) their experience and
expertise in providing services of a similar nature for other entities (PG & E, San Joaquin County); and 2) the S.A.
has served successfully as the administrator of the "Lodi C.A.R.E. Package Program" since 2005 —this is a utility
grant payment program funded through Lodi's Public Benefits Program.
5. Lodi CARE Packare Provam: Since late 2004, the City of Lodi has provided a special grant
program designed to assist Lodi families in paying their monthly utility bill. To qualify for a
grant, a customer must earn less than the published federal income guidelines. Specifically, the
Lodi CARE Package Program will provide a relief payment of up to $125.00* for eligible
families/customers. Other program specifics include:
➢ a customer in need will be interviewed by staff of the Lodi Salvation Army at the
Lockeford Street facility; the family/customer must meet eligibility requirements;
➢ if approved for a relief payment, the Salvation Army will notify the City of Lodi Finance
Department of eligible customer name, and the exact amount of the relief payment;
➢ the Salvation Army will also notify the City of Lodi Electric Utility Department of
approved customers; these customers will automatically be enrolled in the Lodi Energy
Audit Program and receive a free in-home energy audit;
➢ customers are eligible to receive a maximum grant amount of $125.00 every six months;
➢ a set of income guidelines has been developed for this program, and will be utilized as part
of the assessment process conducted by the Salvation Army;
➢ in order to receive the maximum relief payment of $125.00, a customer must have no past
due amounts owed to the City of Lodi, and must be able to pay the remaining portion of
their current City of Lodi utility statement (the water and wastewater charges).
The following two entities are providing the funds available for the relief payments:
9 City of Lodi Electric Utility - $25,000 total; of this amount, $19,500 is earmarked for relief
payments to the customers in need. The $19,500 is ONLY for payment of the electric
utility component of customer bills, $5,000is earmarked as the payment due to the
Salvation Army for their assessment services, and $500 is earmarked for customer outreach
and material preparation costs.
➢ WM@ Waste Management - $10,000 total; these funds will be designated solely for the
purpose of paying the refuse component of a customer's bill (maximum payment is $25.00
per customer; one such payment every six months).
Since the program's inception, over 725 Lodi customers have participated in the program and
received a grant payment. The intent of the Lodi CARE Package Program is to assist those
customers — currently living on wages 20 percent below the published federal income guidelines
— in paying their monthly City of Lodi utility bill, particularly when the customer is facing a
difficult period. The program is a "safety net" of sorts for customers experiencing a particularly
difficult or unexpected financial hardship.
In order to adequately qualify customers for a relief payment, Ica Electric Utility will again
utilize the Lodi Salvation Army (S.A.) to serve as the day-to-day administrator of the program.
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The S.A. will charge the City of Lodi a fee of $20.00 per customer assessment (not to exceed
$5,000.00during the 2008-2009 fiscal year). The S.A. has provided the same assessment
services for this program since late 2004.
*This relief payment was derived by assessing the average bill of a utility customer currently receiving a rate
discount as part of the Lodi SHARE Program (the SHARE rate discount provides eligible customers with a monthly
30% rate discount on their City of Lodi electric bill). Two months were used as part of the assessment (July and
November 2007). Of these two months, the average July utility bill for electric only was $100.00, while the average
November utility bill for electric only was $52.00. Based upon this assessment, it was determined that the electric
utility component of the relief payment be capped at $100.00. Also during this aforementioned assessment process,
it was determined that the average refuse component of a City of Lodi utility statement is $21.00 (hence, a cap of
$25.00 is recommended as the refuse component of the relief payment). The two relief components, electric and
refuse, then equal a maximum grant of $125 per eligible customer.
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