HomeMy WebLinkAboutSenior Advisory Board - Minutes - 02/12/1975M I N U T E S
COORDINATING COMMISSION FOR SENIOR CITIZENS
February 12, 1975
The regular meeting of the Commission was held in the City Gouncil Chambers
at 2:30 p.m., Wednesday, February 12, 1975.
Members Present: C. E. Hommon, Chairman
Charles N. Shepardson, Secretary
R. Fred Chambers
J. F. Conlon
W. J. Wonders
Frances Bigelow
Members Absent: Virginia Dunford
Ed Martin
Also Present: Peg County, Parks and Recreation Department
John McGraw, Human Resources Department
Robert Brunton, City Manager
Minutes of the meeting of January 8, 1975 were approved as distributed.
Utility Rebate - The question of a utility rebate for low-income senior citizens
was discussed and the attached memorandum proposing a rebate of $25.00 per year
to be included in the tax rebate check on the basis of a combined application sub-
mitted by eligible senior citizens was approved unanimously. The secretary was
instructed to forward the memorandum to the members of the Council.
Coloradoan Building - The Chairman distributed copies of letters from Mr. Brunton
and Mr. Phillips, regarding our participation in planning for this building. Ques-
tions regarding the adequacy of Mr. Brunton's directive were raised and he agreed
to write a more comprehensive letter regarding our cooperation with the Parks and
Recreation Board on this problem. In the meantime it was agreed that Mr. Shepardson
and Mr. McGraw would contact the various agencies rendering service to senior citi-
zens to determine their needs and desires for space in the building. Based on these
inquiries, a special meeting may be called to develop our recommendations.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:30 p.m.
Charles N. Shepardson, Secretary
*The next meeting of the Commission will be held Wednesday, March 12, 1975 at 2:30 p.m.
in the City Council Chambers.
DATE:
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
T H E C I T Y O F F T.
MEMORANDUM
February 14, 1975
C 0 L L I N S
The Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
The Coordinating Commission for Senior Citizens
Rebate for Utility Charges
On January 14, 1975 the Council referred to the Commission for a study and
recommendation, the question of a rebate on utility charges for low-income
senior citizens. While not stated at that meeting, it is our understanding
that the Council has in mind paying any such rebate from general rather than
utility funds. No amount for such rebate was suggested. On this basis, we
have studied the problem and submit the following recommendations:
Recommendations for a Utility Rebate
For Low -Income Senior Citizens
1. History: (a) The Council has previously granted a rebate of City property
taxes for senior citizens, age 65 or over with gross annual income of $4,000.00
or less for individuals or $4,500.00 or less for couples.
(b) In a survey by Mr. Charles Liquin of the City staff, it was
found that several other cities in Washington and Oklahoma have similar re-
bates. These rebates are based on qualifications similar to the Fort Collins
City property tax rebate. They range from 50C per month or $6.00 per year on
water bills in Lawton, Oklahoma to $58.00 per year on water and sewer bills in
Rinton, Washington.
2. Qualifications: We recommend that eligibility for such a rebate be based on
the same qualifications as the present City property tax rebate, namely, age
65 or over and gross income of $4,000.00 or less for individuals and $4,500.00
or less for couples.
We are advised by the City Finance Director that there were 524 applicants for
such tax rebates last year who received an average of $26.45.
3. Amount of Rebate: We believe that the amount of the rebate might be specifi
cally related to the recent increase in electric and water rates.
Assuming that most of these applicants live in one -family residences with an
average lot and using the same rate for all applicants, their water bill was
increased from $10.45 per month to $11.85 per month, an increase of $1.40
per month.
A study of the electric bills of a random sample of 10% of the tax refund
applicants showed an average monthly bill of $6.61 last year which would
amount to $6.98 under the new rate or an increase of $.37 . These bills
ranged from 14.6% with less than $4.00 to 12.7% with over $10.00.
The average increase for water and electricity would be $1.40 plus $.37 or
a total of $1.77 per month or $21.24 per year.
The Finance Director advises that the cost of checks related to individual
bills is approximately $3.50 per check. He further estimates that the cost
of handling the present tax rebate checks is approximately $2.25 each.
In view of these handling costs,
We recommend that the utility rebate be based on a combined application with
the tax rebate, that it be paid annually in one check with the tax rebate and
that it be a flat amount of $25.00 per year based on the average increased util-
ity cost of $21.24 plus the otherwise contemplated cost of $3.25 per check if
based on individual billings.
APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY
This 12th day of February 1975
Charles Shepardson,
Secretary