Energy needs rise, county covers cost

By Ellen Spitaleri

The Clackamas Review, Dec 30, 2009

Ellen spitaleri / Clackamas Review

Twila Hayden, who works in client services at the Milwaukie Center, helps Clackamas resident Bob Conger with some paperwork for the Energy Assistance Program.

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In all her years with the Clackamas County Energy Assistance Program, Janice Delameter has never seen so many people in need.

“The economy is right at our door – we are seeing more people who are going through foreclosure; so many more who are unemployed; and so many first-timers who have never needed energy assistance before,” she said.

A single mother with a child under 5 came to her appointment crying, Delameter said. Her abusive husband left her with unpaid bills and zero income.

“Luckily we were able to pay her electric and gas bills off – she was so happy and didn’t know how to thank us.”

Another county resident found out about the program through Portland General Electric after his electric heat was disconnected and the reconnection fee was more than he could afford. He had young children and a wife with medical issues.

Delameter said they worked it out so that his heat was restored that night and prevented a disconnection the following month; and he found out about other resources that might help him as well, she added.

Delameter is now the supervisor of the program, but when she started 10 years ago she was the only employee, and the only programs were the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program and the Gas Assistance Program.

“We have gone from one employee to 15; the need has grown and so has the funding,” she noted.

There are now three more programs that help both renters and homeowners pay their utility bills and get other assistance, they are: Oregon Low-Income Gas Assistance Program, Oregon Energy Assistance Program and Oregon HEAT. (See sidebar for details.)

Application process

Delameter said that last year the county assistance program served 7,953 households, but this year has seen a 25 percent increase in calls; just two months into its calendar year, there had already been 1, 672 calls.

Applicants for the various programs must fill out an application and must meet strict income guidelines. (See sidebar right.)

Applications are available through the county at the Public Services Building and at the Pioneer Center and the Milwaukie Center. Her office does not take walk-ins, Delameter said, adding that people need to look at the income guidelines, call for an appointment, fill out an application and check the other requirements to see if they are eligible for assistance.

The senior centers can do home visits for seniors who are without transportation, she noted.

Her office can help low-income residents of the county keep their heat on through the winter or help them pay their utility bills. She and her staff work with the major utility companies and have contracts with oil vendors – they can also help those who heat only with wood.

“We do prioritize – those who have no heat go to the head of the line, if their furnace is broken or they have no wood or gas,” she said, adding that people with medical emergencies also have the highest priority.

“There is a data base for all calls that gives us the ability to sort them out by priority,” Delameter noted.

Her office receives a huge number of calls, and it can take some time to get back to people.

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