HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 5/8/2018 - Memorandum From Lisa Rosintoski Re: Ordinance No. 054, 2018 Amending Chapter 26 Of The Code Of The City Of Fort Collins To Adopt Discounts Applicable To Water, Wastewater And Electric Rates, Fees AndUtilities
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222 Laporte Ave
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.212.2900
V/TDD 711
utilities@fcgov.com
fcgov.com/utilities
M E M O R A N D U M
DATE: May 2, 2018
TO: Mayor Troxell and Councilmembers
FROM: Lisa Rosintoski, Customer Connections Manager
THROUGH: Darin Atteberry, City Manager
Jeff Mihelich, Deputy City Manager
Kevin R. Gertig, Utilities Executive Director
RE: Ordinance No. 054, 2018 Amending Chapter 26 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins to
Adopt Discounts Applicable to Water, Wastewater, and Electric Rates, Fees and Charges
Applied Under an Income Qualified Assistance Program (IQAP)
City Council requested additional details regarding qualifying participants in IQAP beyond the Low-Income Energy
Assistance Program (LEAP). Below is an excerpt from the IQAP action plan addressing outreach and
communications to achieve optimal participation and results.
IQAP Outreach Objective:
A thorough outreach strategy is a critical component of engaging low-income customers. Through stakeholder
engagement, staff recognizes the challenges low-income customers face participating in assistance programs.
Typical challenges include transportation, accessibility, convenience and access to resources in a location of trust.
Therefore, staff will work with local service providers, internal partners and take into consideration customer
feedback to reduce or eliminate these challenges for optimal participation and results.
IQAP will use an extensive outreach and communications approach to help achieve maximum participation,
examples include:
Presentations and assistance at income-qualified residential facilities across Fort Collins, such as
Woodbridge Senior Living Apartments. For instance, staff confirmed with the Woodbridge general
manager that it is OK to have a booth that assists qualifying residents. Going to the facility allows
customers to easily enroll, achieving the convenience and location of trust focus groups communicated.
Collaboration with entities, such as Housing Catalyst and Poudre School District, on how to qualify
customers who are not eligible for LEAP, and determine how to evolve IQAP to support beyond the LEAP
process.
Outreach with boards, commissions and impacted trade groups, in order to be the best source of
information and answer questions, creating robust awareness and providing ongoing support.
Working with low-income service providers to ensure participation is convenient, available in a familiar
and trusted location and accessible regardless of the customers means of transportation. Service provider
engagement includes:
o updating organizations on changes
o offering educational resources
o facilitating meetings or presentations to explain IQAP and how to access it
o tabling or canvassing to reach customers directly, including partnerships with organizations such
as Community for Sustainable Energy that currently deploys canvassing.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4254DE87-CC0A-4950-B5C3-4BFC7FA0670B
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Communicating program information to other stakeholders, such as known employers.
Working with internal stakeholders to provide information at existing City and community events,
especially those serving low-income customers.
Providing information and help with LEAP applications at City buildings, including the Senior Center,
Northside Aztlan Community Center, and Utilities Administration Building.
Collaboration with Discover Goodwill to deploy the Mission-in-Motion mobile office in Fort Collins for
LEAP sign-up days; see attached picture.
Sending direct mail to customers who received LEAP the previous season and other eligible customers.
Managing an IQAP implementation team that includes key stakeholders from Social Sustainability, La
Familia, Senior Advisory Board and Energy Outreach Colorado, among others.
Integration of survey results for improvements around accessibility, convenience and effectiveness that will
be presented to City Council.
Plan-Do-Check-Act Program Monitoring:
Collaboration with internal stakeholders, such as City Finance, Social Sustainability and Recreation, to
understand how to create a long-term “one-stop-shop” for low-income City services.
Collaboration with internal stakeholders, such as Social Sustainability and Neighborhood Services, to
ensure outreach is thorough, not duplicative and reaches low-income customers.
High-Level Communications and Outreach Timeline
Month IQAP Time-Of-Day(TOD) with IQAP
May Boards and commissions communication; initial
outreach through TOD communications
Campaign launch, including website, social
media, newsletters
June Qualification letter and application sent to LEAP
participants, indicating process and timeline
Segmented communication for program
participants and specific-rate customers
July Application open period; follow up communication
for non-respondents
Continued segmented communication
August Messaging with monthly bill insert; applications
due at end of month
Direct mail postcard to all customers
September Processing applications; participant welcome letter
sent
Bill insert to all customers (online and direct
mail), more detailed tips and options
October Customers transitioned to IQAP rates; incorporate
messaging with TOD outreach for future sign-ups
Direct mail letter on transition to TOD rates,
includes clings and segmented messaging
November Begin outreach campaign for 2018-2019 LEAP
awareness maintaining referenced activities
Follow up conversations with customers on
first month of TOD
Attachment: Discover Goodwill to deploy the Mission-in-Motion mobile office picture
CC: Cyril Vidergar
Randy Reuscher
Gretchen Stanford
Pete Iengo
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4254DE87-CC0A-4950-B5C3-4BFC7FA0670B
LEAP’s Mobile Office