Explanation
This legislation authorizes the Director of Public Utilities to accept the award of an EcoSmart Choice Sustainability Grant in the amount of $147,684.00 from American Municipal Power, Inc. (AMP) and to authorize the Department of Public Utilities to establish a payment relief program for current Division of Power economically disadvantaged customers who are having difficulty paying their electric bills or are at the point of disconnection. The EcoSmart Choice Sustainability Grant program was instituted by AMP to return unused funds to participating members. Sustainability Grants are thus intended to recognize EcoSmart Choice participating communities that demonstrate a commitment to sustainability through the promotion of environmentally focused, community based grant projects.
The Division of Power (DOP) will use the grant funding for two different projects. With the first project known as, Green Energy Sustainability Dashboard - Part 1, the City of Columbus, Department of Public Utilities will work with MORPC and the Local Government Energy Partnership to determine if the Jade Track platform can be used to design and publish an online dashboard that tracks the Division of Power’s green energy usage and other sustainability projects (i.e. LED Street Lights, AMI), and the overall greenhouse gas emissions reduction equivalents. The goal of this project is to establish an online repository to report to the community the division’s sustainability commitments and progress.
If feasible, we estimate this final project to be $20,000 of the total 2017 EcoSmart Choice Sustainability Grant funds. If after the assessment it is found that this online dashboard is not practical, all funds will be allocated to Part 2 of this grant.
With the second project know as, Power Payment Relief Program - Part 2, the remaining EcoSmart Choice Sustainability Grant funds will be used to support a temporary relief program for current Division of Power economically disadvantaged customers who are having difficulty paying their electric bills or are at the point of disconnect. Several requirements must be met in order to receive the one-time assistance. This program will serve as a pilot that will help drive a more permanent low-income customer assistance program for the division. In addition, to the one-time credit of up to $150, recipients will also be provided with a one-page educational document that offers simple energy saving tips.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no matching requirement for this grant. Up to $147,684.00 will be spent to establish an online repository to report to the community the division’s sustainability commitments and progress; and to establish and support a temporary relief program for current Division of Power economically disadvantaged customers who are having difficulty paying their electric bills or are at the point of disconnect.
Title
To authorize the Director of Public Utilities to accept the award of an EcoSmart Choice Sustainability Grant in the amount of $147,684.00 from American Municipal Power, Inc. (AMP); to authorize the Director of Public Utilities to establish a payment relief program; and to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of $147,684.00. ($147,684.00)
Body
WHEREAS, American Municipal Power, Inc. (AMP) has instituted the EcoSmart Choice Sustainability Grant program to return unused funds to participating members, and
WHEREAS, Sustainability Grants are intended to recognize EcoSmart Choice participating communities that demonstrate a commitment to sustainability through the promotion of environmentally focused, community based grant projects, and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus, Department of Public Utilities (DPU) will work with MORPC and the Local Government Energy Partnership to determine if the Jade Track platform can be used to design and publish an online dashboard that tracks the Division of Power’s green energy usage and other sustainability projects (i.e. LED Street Lights, AMI) and the overall greenhouse gas emissions reduction equivalents, and
WHEREAS, the goal of this project is to establish an online repository to report to the community the division’s sustainability commitments and progress, and
WHEREAS, if after the assessment it is found that this online dashboard is not practical, all funds from Part 1 of the grant will be allocated to Part 2, and
WHEREAS, for Part 2 of the EcoSmart Choice Sustainability Grant all remaining funds will be used to support a temporary relief program for current Division of Power residential economically disadvantaged customers who are having difficulty paying this electric bills or are at the point of disconnection. The DPU Power Payment Relief program will offer a one-time credit of up to $150 to be put towards an electric bill, and
WHEREAS, the Power Payment Relief program will run until funds are exhausted but, this program will serve as a pilot that will help drive a more permanent low-income customer assistance program for the division, and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus, Department of Public Utilities, Division of Power has been awarded an EcoSmart Choice Sustainability Grant in the amount of $147,684.00, and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to appropriate said funds to the Department of Public Utilities for expenditures, and
WHEREAS, it has become necessary in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Utilities, Division of Power, to authorize the Director of Public Utilities to accept the award of an EcoSmart Choice Sustainability Grant in the amount of $147,684.00 from American Municipal Power, Inc.; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Public Utilities be and is hereby authorized to accept the award of an EcoSmart Choice Sustainability Grant in the amount of $147,684.00 from American Municipal Power, Inc.
SECTION 2. That from the unappropriated monies and from all monies estimated to come into the Private Grant Fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the term of the grant, the sum of $147,684.00 is appropriated per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance. Appropriation is effective upon receipt of the executed grant agreement.
SECTION 3. That the monies in the foregoing Section 2 shall be paid upon order of the Director of Public Utilities, and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except by voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 4. That the expenditure of $147,684.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized to be expended per the funding attachment.
SECTION 5. That, at the end of the grant period, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grantor is hereby authorized and any unused City match monies may be transferred back to the City fund from which they originated in accordance with all applicable grant agreements.
SECTION 6. That the Director of the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) is hereby authorized to establish a temporary relief program for current Division of Power residential economically disadvantaged customers who are having difficulty paying their electric bills or are at the point of disconnection. The DPU Power Payment Relief program will offer a one-time credit of up to $150 to be put towards an electric bill.
SECTION 7. That the City of Columbus, Department of Public Utilities will work with MORPC and the Local Government Energy Partnership to determine the feasibility of raising community awareness of the Division of Power’s green energy usage and other sustainability projects by creating a Green Energy Sustainability Dashboard.
SECTION 8. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated.
SECTION 9. That this Ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.