[0:03] >> Good afternoon, everyone.
[0:04] And good afternoon. Time is 4
[0:07] o'clock. We're going to start
[0:11] this notice. Meeting. We have
[0:12] the room for just one hour
[0:13] this time. And I think we want
[0:13] to make sure that we walk out
[0:15] of here with a piece
[0:16] legislation and kind of kind
[0:17] of move forward. We're trying
[0:20] to make the Wednesday
[0:22] deadline. So that's kind of
[0:23] why we're I want to just go
[0:26] right to business. We're going
[0:27] to start with introduction
[0:30] story from our left Garden.
[0:33] >> Bring your smears office.
[0:36] Goes Office General Counsel.
[0:36] >> water.
[0:39] >> We police the District 7.
[0:42] Reginald afternoon, Julia
[0:45] Charles Moreland, j they very
[0:46] much. Yeah. If you've got red,
[0:47] that means you can talk
[0:48] different than the other room
[0:49] which is different than
[0:55] another room. It's none of our
[0:56] system
[0:56] >> Thank you all for being
[0:59] here today. Thank you to my my
[1:00] co-chair.
[1:02] >> COUNCILMAN Gaffney, do you
[1:02] have anything before we kind
[1:03] of start the bottom of that in
[1:06] 2?
[1:07] >> would jump straight into. I
[1:09] think the fact remains the
[1:11] same that we need some utility
[1:12] really, you know, we did again
[1:16] calls up and to day, you know,
[1:17] hopefully after this me and we
[1:18] can try to have some type of
[1:19] solution, you know, so at the
[1:24] last. We me and I have gotten
[1:25] calls from all types groups
[1:28] tied to individuals seeking
[1:29] utility. So cleotha today with
[1:33] gas and resolution.
[1:33] >> Understood. Thank you very
[1:34] much. And I believe we might
[1:35] have another council member
[1:37] here to join us, which I to
[1:43] introduce yourself.
[1:44] >> Councilmember get
[1:45] afternoon, everyone. I'm Tara
[1:45] Maclay Murray District 9.
[1:49] Thank you for joining us
[1:50] today.
[1:51] >> And we truly appreciate
[1:52] your efforts and this again, I
[1:53] think we've all kind of gotten
[1:54] these phone calls and heard
[1:55] about needs for for
[1:58] assistance. I want to kind go
[2:00] back to where we were last
[2:01] meeting, right? We talked to a
[2:03] number of providers, got a
[2:03] good kind of understanding
[2:05] about. What programs exist
[2:09] now. I know that I try to
[2:10] become in the span of a couple
[2:14] days. More of a try to learn
[2:16] more about how these
[2:18] nonprofits operating help with
[2:20] utility assistance that I knew
[2:20] before. There's a lot of
[2:22] nonprofits that are providing
[2:24] assistance, including the city
[2:25] of Jacksonville, right through
[2:26] our parks, Rec and Community
[2:28] Services Division. Every
[2:29] program has something a little
[2:33] bit different. The one that
[2:34] the 2 things that the city of
[2:34] Jacksonville and correct me if
[2:35] I'm wrong, anyone the 2, the
[2:40] 2. Programs of the city of
[2:41] Jacksonville has one of which
[2:42] is under parks, rec and
[2:44] community services. And that's
[2:44] utility assistance program
[2:47] that we've internally created.
[2:47] So dollars come out of the
[2:48] budget, go to parks community
[2:52] services and able to to spend
[2:53] those dollars. You're able to
[2:55] get assistance once every 18
[2:56] months in that program. That's
[2:58] under Daryl Joseph Shop and
[3:01] then under the neighbor to
[3:02] neighbor program, which was
[3:07] codify in law in 1987 by City
[3:08] Council. That is a jta program
[3:10] were. Households and families
[3:14] and rate payers can put can
[3:15] can can voluntarily put
[3:17] dollars aside, put into a pot
[3:19] of money and ga is able to
[3:19] distribute those dollars to go
[3:21] into utility assistance via
[3:26] the United Way in the in the
[3:26] code. It specifically says the
[3:27] United Way is going to
[3:28] administer the program and
[3:35] correct me if I'm Charles. So
[3:36] that correct. Missed a
[3:37] neighbor to neighbor program
[3:38] to described it appropriately.
[3:42] The funds are distributed
[3:43] through 2, 1, 1, and then it
[3:45] gets to a Catholic charities.
[3:46] Catholic Charities and takes
[3:46] care of it. From that point.
[3:50] Moving forward. It's my
[3:53] understanding that so in in
[3:53] the law are in the in the bill
[3:54] codify it as United Way's the
[3:57] minister. I think since 1987
[3:58] Catholic Charities has been
[3:59] the one via the 2, 1, 1,
[4:01] program actually administer is
[4:02] the dollar. So 2, 1, 1, still
[4:04] continues to be this pre
[4:08] screening. Operator and then
[4:12] can send it off to. One of a
[4:13] number of providers. However,
[4:14] its Catholic charities that
[4:15] does the neighbor to neighbor
[4:19] program. A lot of other
[4:21] substances given through
[4:23] different operators, Family
[4:27] Services desk Eldersource uses
[4:34] a the heap dollars uses lie.
[4:35] He dollars. Both of those are
[4:36] federal programs. So there's a
[4:40] lot of stuff that exists. It's
[4:40] just a matter of what is the
[4:41] city of Jacksonville. Kind of
[4:43] have the most. Direct
[4:44] engagement on. And that's kind
[4:46] of the parks and rec and then
[4:48] this neighbor to neighbor
[4:50] program. And even then it's
[4:51] not city dollars that go into
[4:51] neighbor to neighbor. Just
[4:53] happened to be codified. So
[4:55] that's that's everything that
[4:55] I've kind of learned in the
[4:58] past in the past week. And
[5:00] Lord knows I'm probably
[5:01] forgetting some other
[5:02] incredible organization that's
[5:03] out there supporting families
[5:05] right now. But all that to say
[5:07] as we are trying to, I think
[5:09] get a bill out by Wednesday. I
[5:11] want to make sure that we sort
[5:13] of saw okay, where does this
[5:15] Last time I said 2.3 million.
[5:19] That's what I want asked my
[5:20] colleagues if feel come
[5:21] confident going for 2.3
[5:24] million from reserves to go
[5:25] into some kind of utility
[5:28] assistance program. The first
[5:29] question I think we all asked
[5:31] ourselves was all right. If we
[5:34] are parks and rec. And
[5:35] ministering dollars, why not
[5:35] give them all the money to
[5:39] which? I think Parks and Rec
[5:41] and any other organization
[5:41] would say you give me that
[5:42] kind of money. I got to hire
[5:45] more staff. I need more people
[5:49] to administer. And so it was a
[5:50] matter of okay. Well, we do
[5:53] want to overburden city
[5:54] department and especially have
[5:55] them hire more staff if
[5:56] they're not gonna be able to
[5:58] continue that staff in future
[5:58] years. I don't think our
[5:59] colleagues would be on board
[6:01] with that. Told us that
[6:04] different iterations. But how
[6:06] much can they take on and sell
[6:09] parks and rec? Do you want to
[6:14] vent? Up? I was going I think
[6:16] parks and rec from what
[6:16] understand take on about an
[6:19] extra 200,000 without hiring
[6:21] additional staff and they can
[6:23] re address their program. So
[6:24] it's not just once every 2
[6:26] months, but go ahead.
[6:29] COUNCILMAN, first of all,
[6:31] little tardy, but what I want
[6:36] to see. If we if we're if we
[6:37] have the funding to do what we
[6:40] need to do, where things I
[6:41] want to make sure is that.
[6:50] >> Access? 2, 1, 1, And other
[6:50] organizations. They only have
[6:53] a certain amount of time. And
[6:54] a lot of time people can cut
[6:58] off. And so we need to look at
[7:02] the big picture. Of how they
[7:04] can access these funds. That
[7:07] would be my major concern
[7:08] because sometimes we don't
[7:10] know they get so overwhelmed.
[7:12] The staff, they MAY not have
[7:13] the capacity to distribute the
[7:16] funds the way it needs to be.
[7:20] Distribute it. Now I know
[7:23] organizations like even j a
[7:24] had a program. The neighbor to
[7:26] neighbor program and then they
[7:29] were even collect in funds
[7:33] from different businesses by
[7:35] asking individuals or
[7:39] companies to donate it and if
[7:40] there and I don't know if
[7:44] could do this and not, but we
[7:44] need access like immediate
[7:47] access people either have a
[7:48] day before they cut off. All
[7:50] that might be today. So
[7:53] whatever we do and I think we
[7:54] need to.
[7:55] >> Ally and
[7:59] >> be an asset to those
[8:00] organist stations, not the
[8:01] ones that are already doing
[8:04] like the regular goes, open
[8:09] the lines up at 8 o'clock.
[8:10] They open it up by 8 o'clock.
[8:12] They probably had 20 people on
[8:13] already. And then those
[8:17] dollars are just And of
[8:17] course, you have United Way as
[8:20] well. But we want to make sure
[8:21] that whatever dollars that we
[8:24] do, need to be able to have it
[8:28] done immediately.
[8:28] >> COUNCILMAN, I think your
[8:31] frustration and your for one,
[8:32] you probably you to both. The
[8:33] more about nonprofit work that
[8:37] I certainly do. And you hit
[8:37] the nail on the head. Talked
[8:38] about that a little bit in the
[8:39] last meeting yet these dollars
[8:43] can just be can't just get
[8:44] written. And as we say,
[8:45] goodbye, got to get more staff
[8:46] to be able to administer those
[8:47] dollars. And it's got to be
[8:49] fast because if if the public
[8:52] sees we cut a 2 million dollar
[8:53] check. They're gonna expect
[8:54] that they get those taxes.
[8:55] Those dollars annually as
[8:56] opposed to having to wait 3,
[9:00] 4, 5, months. No question. You
[9:01] know, as as I kind of talk
[9:01] with our auditors and r and r
[9:05] attorneys, I thought some
[9:06] dollars can go in the park's
[9:06] and rec immediately where they
[9:07] can spend dollars. We already
[9:09] have staff to do that. And
[9:10] you're right. You got to call
[9:11] a comment Tuesday to make sure
[9:12] you get the assistance and
[9:14] then 2, 1, 1, United Way told
[9:18] us they can they can handle
[9:19] the rest of the dollars and
[9:20] get an additional staff member
[9:21] to through their network and
[9:23] make sure those dollars go a
[9:24] lot faster. I want to call
[9:25] cold right up here. I kind of
[9:26] brought Arbor and credit pay.
[9:29] You can introduce yourself.
[9:31] Just kinda, maybe go little
[9:33] bit more about sort of what we
[9:35] discussed. Get my apologies
[9:36] for going to recognize
[9:37] COUNCILMAN Park Maryville for
[9:40] quick. To the chair to
[9:45] Councilmember Pittman.
[9:46] >> I think at this one system
[9:47] clarification. So I think what
[9:48] you're saying is not so much
[9:49] about the funding that we that
[9:53] we're proposing. But access to
[9:55] those programs that there's no
[9:55] delay. I think that's what
[9:59] you're trying to emphasize a
[10:00] little above, to be honest,
[10:02] because I don't think one
[10:02] program.
[10:05] >> Could handle all we need
[10:08] right. The complaints that I
[10:09] hear about is that they can't
[10:12] get in to talk to someone or
[10:14] and might be a senior that
[10:16] don't know the process of how
[10:17] to maneuver to get the money.
[10:19] You know what it means. So I
[10:24] don't know if we can have.
[10:25] Organization or a couple of
[10:29] organizations that if your
[10:30] lights are going to be less
[10:33] than 3 days of today's at I'm
[10:33] just saying it out loud. I
[10:36] don't really know. But the
[10:37] most immediate because a lot
[10:40] of the organizations have
[10:43] allocated dollars even I
[10:44] social services have that. But
[10:46] at least they MAY have a
[10:48] little time. They say it is if
[10:51] they're 2 months behind,
[10:53] right? They make an
[10:53] appointment with social
[10:56] services or we call they try
[10:59] to help them within a certain
[11:01] period. But if you have
[11:06] somebody like a 2, 1, 1, or da
[11:08] again, that works with these
[11:09] organizations to keep those
[11:10] lights on keep them from being
[11:12] cut off the cause of a lot of
[11:13] the families already stressed
[11:16] out and struggling, right. And
[11:17] and even if they live in low
[11:19] income house and if you don't
[11:22] have any lights, then they
[11:26] they cancel terminate. Your
[11:28] your house easy. So we had
[11:31] make sure whatever we do. It's
[11:33] going to be something this
[11:34] immediate. Okay. So then with
[11:35] that being said, I think that
[11:39] it there should be look at
[11:40] each program and see how the
[11:43] dollars are distributed
[11:44] immediately in terms of each
[11:45] program like she's going to
[11:48] talk about.
[11:49] >> United Way. So what the
[11:50] turnaround time is for them
[11:52] actually receiving service.
[11:53] And I'm I'm assuming that when
[11:56] there is a program jta that
[11:57] it's a little more immediate
[11:58] than other programs. If you
[11:59] understand the point that I'm
[12:06] making. All right. Thank you.
[12:08] >> Opelousas, if you MAY, one
[12:09] of the questions that was
[12:10] asked to Leslie, after the
[12:14] meeting. How do we come up
[12:15] with love? How did you come up
[12:19] with 2 million dollars? 2.3,
[12:21] you know, one of the
[12:21] organizations that reached out
[12:24] to me and say, can we take we
[12:26] used a nonprofit, you know how
[12:29] that we come up with is 2.3
[12:30] million dollars. So if you
[12:32] want to elaborate on great.
[12:33] >> Thank you. I mean, it is it
[12:36] is a little bit arbitrary. You
[12:37] know, I I chose I wanted
[12:37] 2 million dollars actual
[12:38] dollars to go out and hit the
[12:41] street. I felt like when we
[12:42] looked at I think was an
[12:43] average of about $650 per
[12:46] household
[12:48] >> we've been told that a lot
[12:50] a lot of the services that we
[12:51] provide get drained by the
[12:52] middle of the funds into the
[12:54] year. And right now with with
[12:55] the rate increase and with the
[12:58] economy as it is. I thought
[12:59] 2 million dollars made sense
[13:00] of that was a good round
[13:00] number. And then the extra 300
[13:03] k was for additional ft. Ease
[13:04] and folks to be able to hire
[13:05] staff to administer those
[13:06] dollars because to the point
[13:08] of what we're all concerned
[13:09] about. We don't want we don't
[13:10] want these dollars just
[13:11] sitting back out performance
[13:14] before dollars. Get out. So so
[13:17] that it it frankly is Carey.
[13:18] It is. So anyone thought that
[13:18] was a magic reason, why was
[13:19] that number was 2 Million?
[13:20] Because I thought it was a
[13:24] nice round number 300 k for.
[13:28] Help for to use.
[13:29] >> other another person also
[13:33] brought it to my attention.
[13:34] What about veterans? Can we
[13:35] set aside Mayville 100,000 is
[13:39] to the whole committee? Can we
[13:42] set 100 100,200 1000 aside,
[13:43] the veterans side is on a bit
[13:45] that on table as well as the,
[13:48] you know, Congress a business
[13:49] 50 minutes about veterans as
[13:49] well because it's a lot of
[13:51] veterans. The utility relief
[13:56] as well. So
[13:56] >> I just for one as far as
[13:58] I'm concerned, you're my. Want
[14:01] to do is from this. What were
[14:02] your head is? That is where
[14:02] where I want this to go. But
[14:06] also. I think it's for it's
[14:07] for anyone who's having a
[14:09] tough time right now. Veterans
[14:11] are part of that equation. No,
[14:12] no question now. Know if you
[14:13] want to buy for Kate too much
[14:15] and confuse some of our
[14:17] colleagues. But if that's if
[14:17] that's what you want to do as
[14:19] a veteran myself, I certainly
[14:20] know the struggle that a lot
[14:23] of households have, especially
[14:27] when they got a bunch of kids.
[14:27] And their living off base
[14:28] housing. I mean, it's real. So
[14:29] if that's if that's what
[14:30] you're looking to do, support,
[14:37] whatever you want. And so.
[14:40] >> lot of programs that I want
[14:40] to segregate anything, the
[14:41] populations that are being
[14:44] served right? Because a lot of
[14:48] like I know that our Veterans
[14:49] Services, they do have a lot
[14:54] of programs. And or they know
[14:58] how to get funding from other
[14:58] organizations. But at the end
[15:00] of the day, I thought we would
[15:02] talking about people who our
[15:03] need and I don't want to
[15:09] segregate. Anybody embodied in
[15:10] the Hill. You know, if is
[15:11] wanted 2 days before lights to
[15:13] cut all we need to make sure
[15:15] you can call this number and
[15:19] it MAY be because, you know,
[15:20] that's not a whole lot on the
[15:20] on us, which is that not a
[15:24] whole lot of money to. If we
[15:26] have a whole lot of people who
[15:26] need help, people are being
[15:29] laid off right now is not just
[15:29] poor people, you know, is
[15:33] people that have jobs either
[15:37] hours of being cut and they're
[15:37] just not making is me
[15:40] insurance for cars. They're
[15:42] being inquiries, you know, and
[15:44] so at the end of the day, you
[15:44] want to make sure you that a
[15:45] roof over your head and you
[15:49] got some lights and house. So
[15:50] if we can look at I mean, I'm
[15:52] really glad that we're talking
[15:53] about this because you really
[15:54] can't have one without other.
[16:00] If you lost some income, my
[16:00] comment is that I don't know
[16:03] how we can disaggregate. Need
[16:05] help. I think that will be
[16:05] difficult unless you're
[16:09] talking about. That pot of
[16:11] money. The 100,000 to
[16:12] specifically to veterans
[16:13] services. So that way it can
[16:15] be done.
[16:16] >> You know, it would go
[16:17] specifically to help veterans.
[16:19] I don't know how you could
[16:20] disaggregate. Like we Chris,
[16:21] like Councilmember Pittman
[16:24] said the fact that, you know,
[16:25] everyone needs help. So I
[16:25] think the whole pot to be
[16:26] distributed among those
[16:27] programs that are existing
[16:29] rather than desegregate. Thank
[16:32] you.
[16:32] >> And personally, I would
[16:35] love to see additional support
[16:36] for rental assistance for
[16:37] housing problems, things. It's
[16:42] just. I feel like sometimes
[16:43] you got to get the cities like
[16:44] guys to got to get our
[16:45] colleagues on the same page.
[16:46] And I think sometimes as a
[16:47] bridge too far for some of our
[16:48] colleagues, I think utility
[16:51] assistance is something we all
[16:52] we all feel. We all know we
[16:53] all recognize is an issue at
[16:53] this very moment.
[16:57] >> That that, you know, that I
[16:58] think everyone can get behind
[16:59] which one going down this
[17:00] avenue. But I think if we help
[17:00] people with utility
[17:03] assistance, it's it's still
[17:04] help some of those other
[17:04] things right now. We don't
[17:05] need to worry about rent to
[17:07] the same degree for that on.
[17:09] >> I would like to hear from
[17:14] jta in terms of the number of
[17:17] people, either been cut off or
[17:21] pending and or if you work
[17:22] with the different
[17:24] organizations that this money
[17:27] potentially MAY go to, how do
[17:30] we put it on a fast track. Is
[17:31] there that He'll speak first.
[17:35] But when is any way that we
[17:38] can look at.
[17:42] >> Oh, I'm I'm sorry. Game.
[17:44] You know, over But thank you.
[17:48] Can can you help us out?
[17:50] >> And so that you want ready
[17:52] to speak first. Yeah. Look
[17:52] that.
[17:53] >> Well, which ever says she's
[17:54] been standing up there a
[17:57] little bit. Can you help us
[17:58] out? Let her go. And then if
[18:01] you would speak. So the chair
[18:05] of thank you again.
[18:06] >> The question was kind of
[18:09] what we discussed previously.
[18:09] My name's credit. Addresses on
[18:14] file. I want to just kind of
[18:17] go back to a kind of the
[18:18] foundation of how to 1, one
[18:19] works, because I know that has
[18:25] been. Little bit of confusion
[18:28] about we are the net, the the
[18:30] epicenter of the hub, if you
[18:32] will, where the more tens of
[18:34] thousands of calls come in
[18:36] every week for all sorts of
[18:37] emergency assistance. Knees,
[18:38] as you mentioned, housing,
[18:40] which is actually housing
[18:41] stability is actually at the
[18:42] top of that list right behind
[18:45] housing is utility assistance
[18:46] right behind that. Our food
[18:49] and transportation needs. Our
[18:54] team is 7 days a week. 24 7.
[18:55] So we answer those calls 7
[18:56] days a week. 24 7, the
[18:57] majority, as you would imagine
[18:59] of the calls come in during
[19:01] the day in our daytime team is
[19:04] 07:00am to 7 p m with multiple
[19:06] shifts. I also mentioned last
[19:07] week that that daytime team
[19:12] includes 7 people total. So
[19:12] know was on vacation are out
[19:15] sick or with issues. But on a
[19:17] full day, we have 7 total
[19:18] people available to take
[19:22] calls. The way that our
[19:25] network works in general, 90%
[19:26] of the calls that we get are
[19:29] referred out to organizations
[19:31] and I database. We have a
[19:33] database of thousands of
[19:34] organizations, including the
[19:37] city of Jacksonville. And we
[19:39] do make referrals to the city
[19:40] of Jacksonville, along with a
[19:44] list of others. In addition to
[19:46] that, we have a network is the
[19:47] community navigation network,
[19:49] which is that close loop
[19:50] model. And the reason was a
[19:52] closed loop model. And the
[19:54] difference is when we make a
[19:55] referral to, for example, the
[19:58] city of Jacksonville, those
[19:59] individuals make the call
[19:59] based on that, you know, the
[20:02] number we give them, but we
[20:03] don't know what happens on the
[20:05] other side. So we don't know
[20:07] when they reach that
[20:08] particular organization, if
[20:09] they receive the help that
[20:11] they need it because this
[20:12] system is clogged, right? We
[20:15] give the referral, but we
[20:16] can't tell you what happens
[20:19] now. We do surveys and we do
[20:20] follow-up calls, but we can't
[20:20] follow up and survey every
[20:24] single color. The community
[20:26] navigation network, our list
[20:27] redefine partners that we've
[20:29] been working with for many
[20:31] years. We are expanding that
[20:34] partnership. But right now it
[20:35] includes Catholic Charities
[20:36] who's here today. Ali insiders
[20:41] here. As well as Jewish family
[20:42] and community services. I
[20:42] don't know if Mary in Maryland
[20:43] there is is here, but she was
[20:47] planning to join and led by
[20:48] Tina Worth. Now, if you've
[20:52] seen that announcement, those
[20:53] 3 organizations have partnered
[20:58] with United Way, 2 pre screen
[20:59] their their calls, meaning
[21:00] they send all of the call
[21:03] their college to us. We in
[21:05] individuals looking for
[21:07] emergency assistance. Our team
[21:09] of 7, 3, screens. Those calls
[21:11] to indicate specifically for
[21:12] eligibility requirements is,
[21:14] as you all know, very
[21:16] different funding sources have
[21:17] different eligibility
[21:20] requirements United Way. In
[21:22] addition to the funding source
[21:24] is that each 3 each of these 3
[21:26] organizations receive majority
[21:28] of them receive some pg psg
[21:31] dollars. They also received
[21:32] dollars from United Way and
[21:33] other private and government
[21:36] funding sources all very so
[21:38] depending on the funding
[21:40] source and the availability of
[21:42] the week, they give us on the
[21:44] set number of appointments on
[21:47] a Monday. So that on Tuesday
[21:48] what we consider a lot of
[21:51] people know that as a direct
[21:52] referral or a community in the
[21:53] way that we navigate. That is
[21:55] by providing that direct
[21:58] appointment too. The
[21:59] individual organization. So
[22:02] those individuals who get pre
[22:03] screened and appointment, they
[22:04] know when they show up, it is
[22:05] likely they're going to get
[22:06] served. And we also know on
[22:10] the back end, whether they got
[22:12] served because they these
[22:14] organizations enter all of the
[22:15] data into a shared database
[22:16] and system that we we each
[22:19] use. That is the difference
[22:20] between the regular kind of
[22:23] information and referral.
[22:25] Network of getting information
[22:28] out and the ability to close
[22:30] the loop with that network of
[22:31] partners where we have the the
[22:34] information. And we also meet
[22:35] regularly to share and
[22:36] understand was happening,
[22:37] common themes, cetera, with
[22:39] the purpose of improving the
[22:41] system. And that network of
[22:43] partners is committed to doing
[22:45] that. So that is the
[22:46] difference in the 2. And what
[22:48] we discussed is initially
[22:49] Catholic Charities obviously
[22:51] already being the neighbor to
[22:54] neighbor partner, I will say,
[22:55] says our conversation Council
[22:58] blue. So you encourage me to
[22:58] reach out to the other
[23:01] partners to see because if
[23:03] there are more you mention
[23:07] COUNCILMAN Jacoby Council
[23:08] Pittman, you are very right in
[23:09] that the more partners that it
[23:12] could expand the dollar, the
[23:13] better opportunity for the
[23:14] dollars to be distributed in
[23:15] each of them have said they
[23:17] would be able to do that. I
[23:19] have also asked specifically
[23:22] what can you do? At a minimum
[23:25] with the current
[23:26] infrastructure that we
[23:28] currently have. And I have
[23:29] some numbers from each of them
[23:31] to be able to help you all
[23:35] come to a good number based on
[23:39] what I was shared with 3 and
[23:40] in that does not include, of
[23:41] course, what you share because
[23:43] the city of Jacksonville is
[23:44] not part of that network. So
[23:45] that's a separate and see. But
[23:52] in completion, the sum total
[23:54] is around $750,000 that that
[23:59] is without any anything.
[24:00] Obviously everyone has
[24:01] indicated that still will put
[24:04] a strain on the team. But with
[24:07] understand understandably. So
[24:09] we recognize the dynamics of
[24:11] that with an additional you
[24:11] know, percent is that could be
[24:13] lower than what we initially
[24:15] discussed last week. They
[24:18] could accommodate even more.
[24:21] So that is an update for you
[24:22] today out. Take any questions.
[24:25] But I wanted to make sure you
[24:27] understood the 2, 1, 1,
[24:28] process. We are more than a
[24:30] connector. It is connecting
[24:34] while also vetting. Well,
[24:35] also, quite frankly, our team
[24:35] is trained to not just listen
[24:38] for the utility me, but to ask
[24:41] questions because to the point
[24:43] most times as utility need
[24:46] means there's a food need or
[24:46] transportation me. So color
[24:49] can call in about one thing.
[24:49] But when they leave or when
[24:52] they get off the call, they're
[24:53] giving resources from
[24:55] multiple. I multiple resources
[24:58] and that's the difference.
[25:03] >> a couple questions. One I'd
[25:04] like to know once you all
[25:09] screen the individuals. How
[25:09] was the percentage of those
[25:10] individuals come into the
[25:16] appointments that? Our side
[25:18] because then it becomes a
[25:19] transportation issue. So if
[25:22] you can talk a little bit
[25:23] about that, and of course,
[25:26] they're not going to tell you.
[25:27] I got transportation issues
[25:28] because they they they trying
[25:31] to get that Bill pay. Can you
[25:32] can you give me an idea what
[25:34] percentage of them make that
[25:36] appointment oppose that them
[25:39] not making their appointment.
[25:40] >> To the chair? Yes, the
[25:42] majority and I don't have the
[25:43] exact percentage. Certainly if
[25:45] any of my my partners here
[25:47] answer that specifically, but
[25:48] because we do close loop, we
[25:52] do. Excuse me. We know that
[25:53] the majority of those that get
[25:53] an appointment also get
[25:56] served. And if there is a
[25:58] transportation transportation
[26:00] issue, we identify that as
[26:04] well on the call United Way
[26:05] does provide transportation
[26:06] assistance, also limited
[26:08] funding, but available for
[26:09] individuals who are in need of
[26:12] a right to work to a
[26:15] healthcare non-emergency
[26:15] healthcare appointment as well
[26:18] as access for food. And so
[26:20] there is a transportation
[26:20] needs specifically to
[26:24] emergency financial assistance
[26:25] that is also any basic me we
[26:26] can address that on the call
[26:29] as well.
[26:31] >> And as that, also a
[26:31] partnership with jta. I know
[26:33] they have a ready ride
[26:36] program. Was that totally
[26:36] different?
[26:37] >> So the chair, our this is a
[26:39] specific program. It's called
[26:40] Ride. United is in partnership
[26:43] with Lyft and through private
[26:43] dollars were able to provide
[26:47] those those rights for those
[26:48] specific basic needs. And
[26:49] Decatur earlier. Okay. Thank
[26:53] you.
[26:54] >> I know that we also
[26:55] discussed that this these
[26:55] stars would be potentially
[26:56] used over the course of 2
[26:59] years, but going over the
[27:00] course of 2 years, it would
[27:03] have been 2 years after yeas.
[27:03] I think we kind of had a
[27:04] conversation about maybe only
[27:06] doing one year and trying to
[27:07] get these stories out during
[27:09] the one-year period. Is that
[27:12] something that still? You guys
[27:13] are comfortable with doing and
[27:14] then also how much would do
[27:16] you think is available? Do you
[27:19] think is appropriate for admin
[27:23] and at t's?
[27:24] >> So the chair based on my
[27:26] conversations with the other
[27:28] net partner networks and the
[27:34] we discuss that we could
[27:35] absolutely dispense the
[27:35] dollars with now with
[27:37] recognition of all of us
[27:40] working together on rather
[27:44] putting the on one partner.
[27:45] And we agree that average of
[27:48] 10 to 15 would allow steel
[27:50] some of the black again, just
[27:51] back in in a straight of
[27:52] things, because as you can
[27:53] imagine, more checks have to
[27:55] be cut to jta are just things
[27:56] that most people don't think
[27:59] about is not just, you know,
[28:00] getting dollars out the door.
[28:04] There's a process to that. But
[28:05] average 10 to 15 would very,
[28:09] very much possible would allow
[28:12] for us to expand that within
[28:12] the year.
[28:13] >> So if I'm if I'm doing kind
[28:14] of quick math, that's you
[28:15] know, we can get to around
[28:19] 200,000. Of the one. So I
[28:23] initially said 2.3, 2.3 was
[28:25] the number 400,000 will go to
[28:27] parks and rec community
[28:29] services 2, 200 for this year,
[28:30] 200 for next year. So we stir
[28:31] some additional for next year.
[28:33] That's just under parks
[28:34] because that we don't need a
[28:35] term sheet or any of that.
[28:38] Then the remaining 1.9 Now
[28:39] 200,000 would be taken out
[28:44] for. In support. And then the
[28:44] rest will be used for
[28:48] services. So about 1.7 million
[28:49] for services in one year
[28:56] during a one-year time term.
[28:59] >> know that just want to is
[29:00] still correct. But she said
[29:01] thing, pine organizations, you
[29:05] guys get a This. So I want to
[29:11] make sure you said one point
[29:13] 1.9 for for 2 years now for a
[29:14] one year time period. And we
[29:15] switch to call this like the
[29:17] city to neighbor program will
[29:18] be administered just like
[29:19] neighbor neighbor, but with a
[29:22] different funding, sources say
[29:23] is they want one that and I
[29:23] think I heard is that like
[29:24] y'all get don't feel
[29:26] comfortable. Taking 750,000
[29:27] direct?
[29:28] >> Yes, just to be clear it
[29:30] clarity that 7.50, was without
[29:31] any administrative support.
[29:33] That is basically absorbing
[29:35] the current capacity said the
[29:39] partner said they would be
[29:41] able administer without any
[29:44] additional support, anything
[29:44] over that we would need at
[29:47] least that 10 to 15%. That
[29:53] makes
[29:54] >> Say I have some type of
[29:56] software where you talk with
[29:57] each other.
[30:00] >> And
[30:03] >> a family could only apply.
[30:04] >> One time and a certain
[30:09] amount of. 6 months.
[30:14] >> Once a year, what does that
[30:15] look like? So I kind of take
[30:18] that under this city to
[30:19] neighbor program. It would be
[30:19] $1000 in household can and can
[30:20] get within a year.
[30:23] >> So they could potentially
[30:23] come one or 2 different times
[30:25] that they needed to. And keep
[30:27] in mind, that's just under
[30:27] this program. So you can still
[30:29] go to parks and rec community
[30:30] services potentially for some
[30:32] other assistance. And then
[30:32] maybe there's another program
[30:33] out there that that's
[30:34] something take advantage of
[30:36] the need to. But if maximum of
[30:37] $1000 during the term of the
[30:43] city neighbor program
[30:44] >> and to the chair also at
[30:44] what we would we would
[30:49] recommend, you know, obviously
[30:50] more flexibility provide the
[30:51] easier, the more opportunities
[30:53] to get dollars out the door as
[30:54] well. I know partner, Jewish
[30:55] Family Community Services
[30:58] indicated that even the
[31:00] average $650 utility bill can
[31:02] sometimes be $1000 or because
[31:05] in individuals are.
[31:08] >> You maybe.
[31:09] >> They had a payment plan
[31:11] that did not. They didn't
[31:13] complete. There's an
[31:15] additional fee. And so
[31:16] sometimes there's a cut off
[31:18] service. Plus, maybe an
[31:20] additional fee to even just
[31:21] get their their lights turned
[31:23] back on and to help them
[31:25] remain stable. So even some
[31:27] flexibility there would help
[31:28] because some of these bills
[31:30] MAY actually be because it'll
[31:32] be more than the average
[31:33] utility bill because it
[31:37] includes late fees shut off
[31:39] reinstatement all of the above
[31:39] and
[31:40] >> and under neighbor to
[31:41] neighbor. There is means
[31:42] testing. I think it's 80%. Am
[31:46] I? At the very least there
[31:46] still it's helping the
[31:48] households in need. Does that
[31:52] number not make you talking to
[31:53] So again, by the time they
[31:56] come to us. The bill is 2
[32:02] months. And to get them
[32:04] started almost like a new
[32:04] slate.
[32:07] >> Until they get themselves
[32:08] or if they can, again, if
[32:14] they're online. And income,
[32:16] that MAY not be able to pay
[32:22] for the next months. And Aiken
[32:25] says that I don't know $1000
[32:26] is going to be enough. Now,
[32:27] one of the things I do know
[32:29] that has I don't know the name
[32:34] of program, but it's it's You
[32:35] prove they pay a certain
[32:38] amount of money a month and at
[32:42] the end of the year. There is
[32:42] a difference. I mean, I don't
[32:45] know if we can even consider
[32:45] that.
[32:46] >> To kind of help people way
[32:48] you you pay right? Let's say
[32:52] we get the slate clean. And if
[32:52] it's if individuals that are
[32:55] having. Continuous problem,
[32:57] paying their j a that we put
[33:00] them on that monthly plan with
[33:04] a pay $400 a month. And then
[33:05] at the end of the year of this
[33:09] still an issue. Can this money
[33:11] help with that given people
[33:14] more than one option? To try
[33:16] to pay take care of their
[33:17] bills.
[33:17] >> And through the chair to
[33:18] COUNCILWOMAN Pittman, thank
[33:21] you. For the opportunity to
[33:24] speak. We have several
[33:25] customer support opportunities
[33:27] options for customers. They
[33:31] can extension. They can have a
[33:32] pay arrangements. They can do
[33:33] my way. They can do my budget.
[33:35] That's what you're speaking
[33:36] about. Where at level lies
[33:38] their payments for over the 12
[33:38] month period and they can pay
[33:43] it like that. The I think the
[33:44] biggest that I want to mention
[33:49] is that.
[33:51] >> before our customers find
[33:55] themselves in a bad situation.
[33:58] >> They need to be make
[33:58] contact with with their
[34:01] utility services where we can.
[34:04] Get, you know, provide the
[34:06] gateway for support through
[34:09] our partners that are the ones
[34:13] that look find ways to help
[34:14] our our citizens that are that
[34:15] are in need. That has to
[34:17] happen. But I also want to
[34:20] mention alluded to this. They
[34:22] do a great job, helping all of
[34:24] our partners do a wonderful
[34:27] job. Once they get voucher
[34:29] once they get some sort
[34:30] confirmation that they're
[34:33] going to get dollars. There
[34:36] are powers not turned off
[34:36] those calm. Those
[34:40] conversations are had between
[34:41] the provider and the utility.
[34:45] They get a voucher so that
[34:48] stops any enforcement activity
[34:50] from happening. And sometimes
[34:50] it takes 30 to 45 days for
[34:54] those things to to get moving.
[34:56] But it stops that enforcement
[34:56] process because we know that
[35:01] there's a dollar attached to
[35:02] pay that individual that
[35:04] individual cost their their
[35:07] payment also wanted to provide
[35:09] a follow. The and Gaffney Jr
[35:12] comment last week. He wanted
[35:13] to know about the number of
[35:16] individuals that are behind
[35:18] and their payment. I didn't
[35:19] have that of realty available
[35:20] to me. And I wanted to have
[35:21] accurate information for him.
[35:27] So. Just some level setting.
[35:29] 85% of our residential
[35:30] customers pay their current
[35:32] bill within that 0 to 30 day
[35:38] period. 12% pay before 60 day
[35:45] pass to Marc. And 97% of
[35:48] customers have paid by the 60
[35:52] on the by day, 60 on average.
[35:55] So we like to focus on the 61
[35:59] data ninety-day bucket because
[36:00] we realize that once that debt
[36:02] starts to occur is harder and
[36:03] harder to collect at that
[36:04] point. And customers spent
[36:07] start having multiple bill. So
[36:11] now if your your your point,
[36:12] COUNCILMAN Gaffney, the 61 to
[36:15] 90 day period where we pass
[36:18] too. It's 9,381 residential
[36:24] customers. 9,000. 381
[36:28] residential customers. Days.
[36:34] 91 to 120 this 3,300 and 87.
[36:35] That number goes down because
[36:38] people start paying their bill
[36:39] or they get some support
[36:41] assistance to get put on
[36:41] payment arrangement. All of
[36:45] the things start to happening.
[36:46] But even with that, I want to
[36:49] make sure that we understand
[36:51] that they get disconnection
[36:54] warnings. They 37, they 42,
[36:56] they get phone calls about the
[37:00] bill needing to be paid
[37:02] multiple 3 auto calls attempts
[37:03] to reach the customer. All
[37:04] subsequent days. So there's a
[37:08] lot of things happen long
[37:09] before it gets to the point
[37:14] where we're making a cut on on
[37:15] their electricity long before
[37:17] it gets there. Just wanted to
[37:22] mention that piece. And just
[37:24] one more question, this So if
[37:25] someone can't
[37:26] >> make their payment by the
[37:29] extension. And maybe, you
[37:34] know, something comes up. What
[37:35] can't do you all still make
[37:36] like a second extension or
[37:40] what? What? What is?
[37:42] >> So is is it's a variable
[37:42] thing that, you know, we work
[37:44] with our customers. Is 100%
[37:46] fact. We work with our
[37:50] customers. We want to keep the
[37:51] hair electric their water on
[37:52] just as much as they want to
[37:54] keep it on. And we find ways
[37:56] to try to help our customers
[37:58] out, which is the reason why
[38:01] in the big scheme, the bigger
[38:01] number of customers that jta
[38:04] has to service. That number
[38:06] that I mentioned to is
[38:09] relatively small, although
[38:10] there's a concern the number
[38:10] is not as big as one MAY
[38:12] think.
[38:15] >> And in the marketing. What
[38:17] are know? You used to have
[38:21] month the. And I'm sorry I
[38:24] wasn't here last week. Zavala
[38:25] just I just want to get about
[38:26] 20 minutes. Have been the last
[38:28] question about marketing to
[38:31] make sure because a lot of the
[38:31] people that that are in that
[38:32] small percentage that you
[38:40] mention they MAY not be a
[38:40] >> middle-class individuals,
[38:43] right? Some China because a
[38:44] lot of times those individuals
[38:48] proud to ask for help
[38:52] understand so, you know, is if
[38:53] you all still have that
[38:55] brochure like in the monthly
[38:56] bill, the U.S. Still do that.
[39:00] So a lot of folks on the bill.
[39:02] >> 67% of our folks are now
[39:04] using the We do have it on our
[39:07] website. We market every day
[39:08] with our call advisors we to
[39:09] have call advisors that get
[39:12] over 50,000 calls a month. And
[39:13] you know, people call in about
[39:14] their bill and things of that
[39:17] nature ways to save and all
[39:18] the different opportunities
[39:20] that we have. And I will
[39:21] simply say this to you. Love
[39:23] to get you over there to kind
[39:24] of get to do some of that. So
[39:24] you can see some of the
[39:27] additional things that we do.
[39:28] But on senior day, you know,
[39:31] those dollars that we get from
[39:31] the neighbor to neighbor
[39:34] program truly goes to our
[39:35] seniors, Catholic Charities as
[39:36] an amazing job, getting those
[39:39] dollars out. We had over 658
[39:44] seniors that came through fy
[39:45] 26 over 127 seniors got
[39:49] support of about 67 $1000
[39:52] along with energy audits,
[39:53] efficiency audits, all sorts
[39:58] of activity over 20,000 audits
[40:01] that were correctional a
[40:01] 5,700. And 26 audits. Energy
[40:03] and water efficiency audits
[40:08] were done and 2026 so there's
[40:10] a lot happening getting done
[40:12] if our customers reach out to
[40:13] us, we're able to find ways to
[40:16] help them.
[40:20] >> We start this program.
[40:21] We've able to have all of the
[40:22] agencies that we're
[40:27] considering today on your the
[40:28] mill Levy that would have you.
[40:30] We will work with our partners
[40:32] like we get papers. Make sure
[40:36] >> that those agencies are at
[40:36] the bottom where they can
[40:39] calling it some additional.
[40:41] >> The chair, whatever comes
[40:42] out of the meetings and
[40:43] whatever help that we can
[40:44] provide. From standpoint, we
[40:48] will do that, ok? That's thank
[40:50] you. COUNCILMAN Know your
[40:50] finance questions are great
[40:52] and information vitally
[40:53] important right now. I want
[40:54] make sure that all of us are
[40:54] comfortable with with what
[40:55] emergency legislation we MAY
[40:59] push because we need 13 votes.
[40:59] So so if the if the $1000
[41:02] doesn't feel right, I just
[41:03] feel like that was a pretty
[41:06] pretty good number. You know,
[41:07] 6.50, cents to be the average.
[41:09] I just kind of look at some of
[41:10] our colleagues and I feel like
[41:11] more than 1000 light. Rub them
[41:14] the wrong way. I just want
[41:16] make sure we're using it not
[41:17] to mention are still other
[41:17] outlets. People go to outside
[41:18] of these programs that work up
[41:24] to. Sydney you 1200. That's
[41:32] just you know, hospital in a
[41:36] to the recommended I just feel
[41:39] like going up extra.
[41:40] >> Somebody that might have
[41:43] worked with me that there's
[41:44] Ivan. But but I just want to
[41:45] reiterate what what I'm
[41:48] expecting that to file. And
[41:52] emergency legislation. So it's
[41:53] going to be filed by Wednesday
[41:55] and go through the cycle
[41:56] immediately thereafter, would
[41:59] be 400,000 for Parks and rec
[42:00] committee services for their
[42:04] utility assistance program.
[42:05] And that's 2, you know,
[42:07] 200,000 for your 100,000 per
[42:08] year to because they can they
[42:08] can take that all without
[42:10] hiring new people. So that's
[42:10] those are dollars immediately
[42:12] go out to people right now.
[42:14] Then the rest goes to United
[42:16] Way. This new program city to
[42:19] neighbor United Way would you
[42:20] know we would do 200,000 for
[42:20] administrative services that
[42:24] they would. Work with there.
[42:24] Additional partners to make
[42:25] sure that if they need to pay
[42:28] out. More to Joe Services
[42:31] desk. Member else took head
[42:35] next it. Half an fte that can
[42:36] do that. Have to work with our
[42:37] auditors to make sure they're
[42:40] telling us that. And that
[42:42] would leave 1.7 million of the
[42:43] 1.9 million to go directly
[42:45] into services for one year.
[42:46] And we find out how fast they
[42:48] go through those dollars. Keep
[42:50] in mind, they do have some
[42:52] dollars now, right? So it's
[42:52] not like they're starting, but
[42:53] nothing they do have the
[42:54] ability to pay out at this
[42:56] moment. We are giving them
[42:58] urgency, support and that
[42:59] would known as the city to
[42:59] neighbor program different
[43:01] from the neighbor to neighbor
[43:02] program. That United Way does
[43:03] directly, you know, under
[43:07] under city code. Just any
[43:08] major questions on that. Do
[43:10] you want to and Philip is
[43:12] looking to me like I'm crazy
[43:12] today. Provide the information
[43:16] correctly. Any questions from
[43:18] from folks up here and our
[43:19] concerns and our thoughts and
[43:26] or desires to change anything.
[43:27] Does it? Does it feel like
[43:28] this is a good way to get the
[43:29] dollars out fast? And we have
[43:34] Mary spotless. Don't rain on
[43:36] my parade. On your parade. I'm
[43:37] just here to remind you about
[43:37] a couple of other parameters
[43:38] that we talked about. You
[43:41] briefly mention 80% and mine.
[43:42] >> There's been some
[43:42] discussion about what the
[43:43] maximum dollar amount per
[43:44] account Holder household would
[43:46] be. We've talked about 1000
[43:46] Councilmember Pittman
[43:50] mentioned 1200. You also
[43:51] addressed the potential of
[43:53] advancing some for some
[43:56] amounts up to maybe 25% so
[43:57] that there was some additional
[43:58] funding on hand rather than
[44:00] having to do true
[44:02] reimbursement, starting at the
[44:03] beginning. So you MAY just
[44:04] want to talk about that, too,
[44:05] as well. Said you're correct.
[44:06] And I think we are going to
[44:09] change it to 1200 as the max
[44:09] for household. And I did say
[44:10] because when we discussed with
[44:12] United Way and their partners.
[44:13] >> It said, look, you know,
[44:14] it's a lot to ask of us, as
[44:19] you know. Just start to start
[44:20] spending dollars and then come
[44:21] back to the city monthly for
[44:24] reimbursements. They were
[44:25] asking for 25% of the dollars
[44:25] up front so they can start
[44:27] doing their hiring. Start
[44:27] doing. The administration
[44:29] administrators work
[44:30] immediately as does everyone
[44:33] feel comfortable in that. And
[44:33] that? Thank you, Mary, for
[44:39] Keeping Me Honest are there
[44:40] any other thoughts, questions
[44:41] or concerns? I do if you
[44:42] comment cards and it did kind
[44:43] of want to get to. And I think
[44:46] we have time to. Any other
[44:46] thoughts. And I know your
[44:47] first meeting, COUNCILMAN And
[44:49] I'm so grateful you're here
[44:50] because you probably have a
[44:52] lot of residents that that.
[44:53] Could use some assistance. I
[44:55] know pretty much all of our
[44:57] districts have a lot of folks
[45:00] and luckily era was here last
[45:00] time as well. He's got a lot
[45:01] of residents and the only 2
[45:02] area that I know need
[45:04] assistance Dr more than
[45:05] anything before we kind of
[45:08] public comment. We're going
[45:09] we're going to give everyone 2
[45:13] minutes each try to stay
[45:13] within that. If you go a
[45:14] little bit over, you know what
[45:16] happened? Lauren has been come
[45:17] on up after that is Suzanne.
[45:22] Seth. Followed by Deborah
[45:22] Thompson, all by Reverend
[45:29] Meyer. Go ahead. MISS Has been
[45:30] name and address for the
[45:35] record. Getting area.
[45:36] >> The rain has been my
[45:41] addresses on file. So
[45:42] Jacksonville needs to fix
[45:43] utility costs and not just
[45:45] help to pay the bills
[45:46] assistance treats the symptom,
[45:49] not the cause. The 2 million
[45:51] dollars in deserves this
[45:52] council members to propose
[45:53] would help some families catch
[45:55] up this year. But Jay, a cfo
[45:56] has already saved. Another
[46:00] rate hike is coming in 2027.
[46:02] 28 each year the gap gets
[46:04] bigger and needs more relief.
[46:05] Money. If the city does not
[46:06] deal with the rate, it's
[46:07] committing to bailouts every
[46:13] year. Paying twice in f in
[46:16] fiscal year 2026 days and
[46:17] about 179 million to the
[46:19] city's general fund, including
[46:23] a one-time 40 million increase
[46:24] counting franchise fees and
[46:25] the public service tax. The
[46:29] total is about 348 Million. A
[46:30] freight cares fund the city
[46:31] through their bills. I'm in
[46:32] the city sends a small share
[46:36] backed as assistance. That's
[46:38] not relief, Laurie or limiting
[46:40] the city's take from jta would
[46:40] reach every household right
[46:43] away. The Biden is going
[46:45] faster than families can
[46:48] absorb it seems of Temple
[46:48] first electric rates are up
[46:51] more than 6%. Water and sewer
[46:54] rates are up 8%. That's the
[46:55] second increasing about a year
[46:59] and a half getting bills of
[47:00] about $500 when the expected
[47:04] 100 to $200 and United Way's 2
[47:06] in one line took more than
[47:08] 4600 calls from didn't Duval
[47:11] residents in a year with only
[47:12] 7 staff, a small assistant
[47:16] assistance. One cannot keep up
[47:16] with building the
[47:17] infrastructure. Does that mean
[47:18] this is going to be a
[47:19] permanent program or what are
[47:22] we doing? Assistance leaves
[47:23] out the working families who
[47:28] are just above the cut-off
[47:30] relief programs have come have
[47:31] income limits, paperwork and
[47:32] wait times and the and the
[47:34] reach. People who know how to
[47:36] apply seniors on fixed
[47:37] incomes, working families and
[47:38] small businesses that do not
[47:40] qualify, still pay the full
[47:41] high rate addressing the
[47:44] rates, protect everyone's
[47:45] assistance on the needs to
[47:47] help people who want
[47:48] assistance. Only help people
[47:50] who manage to get through the
[47:51] process. This city has
[47:53] leverage so we should use it.
[47:57] Jay, a supposedly is owned by
[48:00] The City Council approves its
[48:01] contribution agreement before
[48:01] approving more rate hikes will
[48:02] paying for big projects like
[48:06] the 1.5 billion new power
[48:07] plant cancer can independent
[48:09] review of spending. Thank you
[48:11] very much. I could go on.
[48:12] >> Now I know you side try to
[48:15] get to everyone. Here at 5 in
[48:16] the staffers of stuck around a
[48:21] long day today. This app go
[48:22] ahead 2 minutes. Hillary one,
[48:25] thank Council member
[48:26] >> And Gaffney, everyone else.
[48:26] My name is cc and sap. My
[48:29] address is on record. I'm here
[48:32] with the Sierra Club and with
[48:34] Duvall affordable, Clean
[48:38] Energy Coalition
[48:38] >> you know, I'm really
[48:42] concerned about I appreciate
[48:43] the fact that we're talking
[48:46] about some solutions. But, you
[48:47] know, as a former trauma
[48:47] nurse, we've got a s#
[48:47] #
[48:47] #
[48:47] #
[48:47] #
[48:48] #
[48:49] chest wound here and we're
[48:51] trying to put a Band-Aid on
[48:54] it. I'm not really sure why we
[48:55] the rate payers are bailing
[48:56] out our public utility. Not
[49:00] sure about that. So we need
[49:00] immediate intervention to help
[49:04] people pay bills, short-term
[49:04] remedy. So this doesn't
[49:06] continue to happen. Month
[49:08] after month. And a long-term
[49:12] plan for j j's electricity,
[49:13] energy decision-making. Does
[49:14] anybody in this room actually
[49:15] know how makes decisions? I
[49:20] would love to understand that.
[49:22] So no disconnections and
[49:23] remove the disconnect. Notice
[49:24] from the required
[49:26] qualification for assistance.
[49:28] We've heard that it's a long
[49:29] process. There's several
[49:31] emails and text messages just
[49:34] connects. Take 3 days and
[49:36] energy. Bill assistance
[49:40] sometimes take 30 to 45 days.
[49:41] So some short-term remedies,
[49:41] free energy audits and
[49:44] programs to help weatherize
[49:45] homes. That's great. If you
[49:48] own a home and if you're a
[49:50] renter, not really sure what
[49:51] you do because some of the
[49:54] slum lords in this town are
[49:55] not coming. Put insulation and
[49:57] Addicks a new windows in for
[50:00] you. So what are we doing for
[50:02] renters and education on time
[50:03] of use rates. We need come. A
[50:05] community advisory Council for
[50:10] j a we the rate payers all of
[50:11] this is being done on our
[50:15] backs. We deserve a seat at
[50:16] the table where energy
[50:17] decisions are being made. We
[50:19] don't have that. Refuses to
[50:21] give us that they make these
[50:22] decisions. We get 3 minutes
[50:25] that public comment. Nobody
[50:27] response. We need a forensic
[50:28] internal audit and financial
[50:29] adjustments to maintain or
[50:32] even reduce rates. We need to
[50:33] meet people where they are. We
[50:35] need to figure out renewable
[50:38] energy and we need a long-term
[50:40] plan. It's great that we're
[50:40] talking about the short-term
[50:41] solution. Lorene brought up a
[50:43] bunch of good points. Is this
[50:46] going to be an annual thing?
[50:47] But does that look like I
[50:50] don't know, but we need a
[50:51] long-term plan. Jay is
[50:53] currently conducting a secret
[50:54] energy planning process called
[50:56] Integration Resource plan. And
[50:57] we need a seat at the table.
[50:58] Thank you very much. Deborah
[51:00] Thompson.
[51:04] >> Followed by Reverend Meyer.
[51:06] And to the credit of our last
[51:08] public a lot of the comments
[51:09] are brought up. They brought
[51:11] up in the past. Also franchise
[51:12] fee discussion has been
[51:12] something that's been brought
[51:14] up in the past 2 years. It Go
[51:15] ahead and share and to all of
[51:18] the COUNCILMAN In visitors.
[51:19] >> My name is Deborah Thompson
[51:23] I work with Environment and
[51:25] Climate Justice Committee for
[51:27] the naacp. And I've also
[51:30] worked low and moderate income
[51:30] families, refugees and other
[51:31] people on fixed incomes for
[51:35] more than 30 years. It is very
[51:37] difficult to budget and work
[51:38] with an individual to do
[51:39] financial Any other program
[51:41] that you might put out here to
[51:45] fall into a situation to where
[51:45] and electric bill is higher
[51:49] than the House. No. It is a
[51:50] very difficult situation to
[51:53] work with families single
[51:56] paired families with more than
[51:57] 2 children in a home.
[51:58] Sometimes that is not at
[52:02] minimum housing code which
[52:03] allows electric bill to be
[52:05] higher in many cases,
[52:08] especially during the winter.
[52:09] So our appeal to you today is
[52:12] to look far again, like a
[52:14] long-term strategy are to work
[52:15] with individuals in these low
[52:16] and moderate income to put
[52:18] them on a fixed rate. So the
[52:22] Fed rate is not so that the
[52:24] bill is not escalating on a
[52:26] monthly basis because over a
[52:29] period of time, it is just
[52:30] very difficult for a single
[52:30] parent family on a fixed
[52:33] income are unstable income.
[52:34] Meanwhile, families on and
[52:39] stabled incomes. Those
[52:40] incomes, fluctuating with
[52:43] part-time jobs, 2, 3 jobs in
[52:45] some instances. So that is
[52:46] very difficult. So we'd like
[52:47] for you to put a human side to
[52:51] the things that you do. We as
[52:52] citizens all the time, do not
[52:54] understand operations of
[52:55] business and those things are
[52:59] being pushed on individuals
[53:00] that have nowhere with all nor
[53:02] do they have anything to fight
[53:03] with. So we're asking you to
[53:06] help us help them. I'm also a
[53:07] helper and a provider for
[53:11] small. Low and moderate income
[53:12] families as well. This
[53:13] refugees to come into our
[53:15] country and it is very
[53:17] difficult to work with with
[53:19] escalating electric bill,
[53:21] which is a necessity in this
[53:23] day and time. Thank you. Thank
[53:26] you, ma'am. Lastly, Reverend
[53:33] DR. Russell Meyer. Remember
[53:34] you, MR. Chair Council
[53:36] members.
[53:39] >> My address is on record. I
[53:41] am also the pastor of Saint
[53:41] John's Lutheran Church. An
[53:45] historic Springfield. We have
[53:49] 100 year old building. I have
[53:50] 100 year-old house and I would
[53:54] dare say that.
[53:56] >> Most of the people who fall
[53:58] into arrears more than 60 days
[53:59] or in older homes, they need
[54:03] energy efficiency. I
[54:05] appreciate you recognize the
[54:07] emergency. The emergencies not
[54:08] going away. It's a permanent
[54:09] feature. You can just check
[54:13] the temperature records. I say
[54:15] a prayer every day prayer. I
[54:19] think many of you probably say
[54:21] as well one line and that
[54:22] those forgive us our debts as
[54:25] we forgive those indebted to
[54:29] us. I want to know why we're
[54:30] bailing out the oil and coal
[54:35] industry. Why are we moving
[54:37] toward energy? That actually
[54:40] is affordable and renewable
[54:40] and clean. Why we putting
[54:43] poison in the air and then
[54:45] saying to our most vulnerable
[54:46] people. Oh, by the way, we're
[54:49] going to shut you off when we
[54:51] have the means. We have the
[54:54] resources to help people in
[54:56] their homes as you move
[54:59] through this process, please
[55:03] move to a true solution. The
[55:04] city can work with j. You can
[55:08] create a financing program in
[55:10] which every single family
[55:13] household homestead it or not
[55:18] can qualify for a alone that
[55:18] would be paid back over
[55:19] amortization on tax bills.
[55:22] Lean. Is there whether there
[55:27] are a renter or homeowner that
[55:30] property could brought up to
[55:30] date with energy efficiency.
[55:33] You have the audit. Sanjay ea.
[55:34] There are ways of solving this
[55:37] problem to make these high
[55:38] rates go away and make housing
[55:42] affordable and livable 4. The
[55:43] people who are most vulnerable
[55:46] in our society city. We should
[55:50] not be asking the most burden
[55:51] to carry the heaviest burden.
[55:53] I ran the numbers. 3%. That's
[55:57] roughly 14,000 households
[55:58] based upon what jta says, the
[56:05] residential clientele is. We
[56:08] can't afford that side of
[56:09] 180 billion dollars we can
[56:09] afford to fix the problem
[56:10] here. Evrod with real
[56:12] solutions. I would just like
[56:16] to conclude by saying we're
[56:17] better than where we are.
[56:18] Let's be better in what we do.
[56:20] Thank you, Reverend. That's
[56:21] all the public on this. We
[56:24] only this one. I did want to
[56:26] ask one quick question is
[56:27] really quick going to be a co
[56:29] introducing? Thank you,
[56:29] appreciate that.
[56:30] >> Last time we did have a
[56:32] number of public commenters
[56:33] come up and speak about how
[56:36] their bills were tough times.
[56:36] Have we address the issues of
[56:37] those individuals who came by
[56:40] the last of this meeting as
[56:41] Make sure.
[56:41] >> chair chair, thank you for
[56:45] that. We did the very next day
[56:46] we spoke to the individuals
[56:47] that had concern about their
[56:50] bill. And we were able to take
[56:55] care of that. There was some
[56:56] understanding issues there
[56:59] that we were able to clear up
[57:00] and most times. That's what we
[57:03] find issues that maybe they
[57:04] just don't understand
[57:05] something and they just need
[57:06] someone to walk them through
[57:07] it. But we did. Energy
[57:08] efficiency audit went out
[57:10] there and to care that piece
[57:11] that was good, that customers
[57:14] in a good place and the any
[57:15] other customer that had a
[57:16] concern. We were able to take
[57:18] care of them.
[57:19] >> And I did call the one
[57:21] gentleman who was a veteran
[57:22] himself called on the very
[57:23] next day. He sat on the phone
[57:25] with ga right now. Thank you
[57:26] for your help. So I am
[57:28] grateful that no weapon up one
[57:29] other thing because I think
[57:30] this is important. We have
[57:31] what we call in our 3 program
[57:35] that this council in 20 23,
[57:37] it's called Repair, restore
[57:38] for resiliency program that
[57:41] started off on the east side.
[57:44] >> It's going in and
[57:45] retrofitting hvac systems and
[57:48] then weatherization program in
[57:48] the area that's extended
[57:55] through 2, 3, 2, 202 9.
[57:57] >> That that will sunset the
[58:00] end of the year and close to
[58:01] 70 homes over in those areas.
[58:03] Those that cause I just
[58:04] mentioned.
[58:07] >> We'll have a better air
[58:10] better weatherization. All of
[58:10] that. So just want to mention
[58:13] that we work with the city and
[58:15] others to try to encourage.
[58:17] Thank you, doctor, and to make
[58:19] that we this is an emergency
[58:21] bill for an emergency purpose.
[58:22] The issues that have been
[58:23] brought up to date have been
[58:23] brought up another times about
[58:24] kind of the long-standing
[58:25] where are we with?
[58:26] >> Energy utilization. What
[58:28] can we do better? Those are
[58:28] those are conversations that
[58:31] we will have. For right now.
[58:32] We're trying to make sure that
[58:35] as we have incredibly high
[58:36] inflation, incredibly high gas
[58:37] prices. This is a way that we
[58:41] can support working families
[58:42] right now. Definitely would
[58:45] like to close this out.
[58:46] >> I'm extremely thankful.
[58:47] Thankful and committed and
[58:48] flew my colleagues at the end
[58:49] the day. I mean, I know this
[58:52] will be, you know, this just
[58:53] this is this is long-term face
[58:55] it in the day. I just want to
[58:55] be able say we did something
[58:56] for right now. We'll get back
[58:59] to the drawing maybe in a few
[59:00] weeks to try to come up with a
[59:01] learned also solution. But
[59:02] I've been they hope discuss
[59:05] Todd type of relief right now.
[59:06] That's what I have affordable
[59:06] housing crisis. And hopefully
[59:08] they kind of that. It didn't
[59:09] is that we could do that say
[59:12] some also. So thank you to my
[59:13] colleagues, a little full of
[59:13] in a close pass the
[59:14] traditional hopefully is get
[59:15] people keep people multi
[59:19] street. So thank you. I
[59:20] appreciate it. So we look
[59:22] bringing this bill before you
[59:23] hopefully looking at 13 bills.
[59:26] I mean the 13 votes that we
[59:27] need and a couple of
[59:39] appreciate game come out.
[59:43] >> one basket. So once I got
[59:46] on now, that would that really
[1:00:01] would dead arrival.