Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-226 Zo v k ( c, . moo � - ad6 Florida Power & Light Company FPL CARE TO SHARE AGREEMENT - INDIAN RIVER COUNTY IN EAST SERVICE AREA July 2006 - July 2008 THIS FPL CARE TO SHARE AGREEMENT ("Agreement" ) is entered into between FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT COMPANY , hereinafter referred to as " FPL" and INDIAN RIVER COUNTY , a political subdivision of the State of Florida hereinafter referred to as the "Agency. " To assist the emergency needs of people in times of hardship , FPL and its customers are providing a contribution fund known as the "Care To Share" fund for electric utility payment. As a condition to this Agreement becoming effective , the Agency administering the Care To Share funds will provide emergency energy assistance to residents in Indian River County. The Agency will serve as the administrator and lead service provider for the program and will be asked to coordinate with any other FPL Care To Share service provider(s ) in the county , as designated by FPL . The relationship between the Agency and any other FPL Care To Share provider(s) can be formalized through an agreement between the lead Agency and the other provider(s) . The Agency also will work with any other appropriate social service providers in its area by sharing program ' information and promoting broad access to these community resources through the formal FPL Care To Share structure . Potential recipients shall have equal opportunity for assistance , and assistance remains available twelve months per year. As a condition to this Agreement becoming effective , the Agency represents and warrants to FPL that it is a political subdivision of the State of Florida within the meaning of Article VIII , sectionl of the Constitution Of The State Of Florida . The Agency will determine the eligibility of energy assistance recipients , subject to the Care to Share program standards . These standards cannot be added to or deviated from without the prior consent of the appropriate FPL Area Special Consumer Services Manager. No person shall subjected to discrimination in connection with the FPL Care To Share program on the basis of age , gender, disability, race , color, creed , national origin , religion , or ancestry contrary to applicable law. The Agency signing this Agreement does hereby bind itself to the following terms and conditions : I . Eligibility Requirements Potential recipients must contact the administering Agency to receive preliminary screening and to make an appointment with the Agency representative when appropriate . An eligible recipient is one who meets all the following criteria : 1 . Applicant must physically reside in FPL's service area . i 2 . Applicant must have an account with FPL or reside at the service location . 3 . Must have identification with the same address as the FPL account. Some examples include : a driver' s license showing the FPL service address ; a rent receipt showing the client' s name at the FPL service address ; a water or phone bill in the client' s name showing the FPL service address ; a mortgage statement showing the client' s name and the FPL service address . 4 . Must show proof of a family or personal crisis . 5 . Must have a delinquent FPL bill , final notice , or disconnect notice for the FPL account. Current bill is also eligible , if caseworker deems appropriate . 6 . Must have exhausted all other available sources for payment of electric service . After available State and Federal funds for which the applicant qualifies have been applied for or committed , the Care To Share funds may be used . The exception is when the applicant is in imminent danger of losing electricity and time does not allow applying for State and Federal funds . 7 . Household income level should fall at or below 150% of the Federal poverty level . The incomes of all persons residing at the service address are to be included in household income . The administering Agency may exercise flexibility in expanding income limits based on special recipient situations . 8 . If assistance is provided , applicant must have a plan in place to maintain additional/future household expenses . 9 . Applicant or member of applicant' s household , either together or individually, must not have received a benefit under the Care To Share Program within the last twelve months . 10 . Applicant or member of applicant's household must not have a history of fraud or service tampering . This may include , but not limited to , using a minor or fictitious name , unauthorized connecting of the meter, or tampering with the service in any way. II . Care To Share Application and Documentation 1 . Potential recipient's current participation in A. F . D . C . , Medicaid , S . S . I . , food stamps , and public housing may be used for means testing . 2 . Caseworkers should verify "self-declaration" of recipient's income based on established Agency guidelines to limit inappropriate disbursements . 3 . The Agency's standard intake form will be utilized for the Care To Share program . 2 4 . Approved applications , as well as disapproved applications , will be maintained as required under the Florida Administrative Code as may be amended . III . Care to Share Payment Requirements 1 . All FPL charges with the exception of deposits , non-electric optional products and services , return check fees , and additional billings resulting from service tampering (non-inherited current diversion charges ) are eligible for the program . Late payment fees assessed to customer accounts during the time Agency's disbursement process to the utility is pending are eligible for the program . 2 . If funds are available , and the recipient has no other means to pay, the Agency must pay the entire delinquent amount up to the currently prescribed upper limit, as determined by FPL . While this limit can be increased or decreased at the discretion of FPL , the upper limit as of the date of this Agreement is $500 . 3 . No recipient or a member of recipient's household , either together or individually, may receive more than a one-time benefit in a 12 (twelve ) month period up to the prescribed upper limit, as referenced in item III -2 . No recipient or member of recipient's household may circumvent this limitation by changing account names among themselves or by moving to a new location . 4 . Disbursement of funds by the Agency must be by check payable to Florida Power & Light Company and must be received by FPL' s Payment Processing Center no more than 60 days from the commitment date . 5 . Payment must be submitted in the name of the FPL customer of record . 6 . Exceptions to the requirements listed above require the approval of the appropriate FPL Area Special Consumer Services Manager. IV. Public Energy Assistance Programs The Care To Share Program is designed to fill voids in existing energy assistance programs that have exhausted their resources or where recipient's needs exceed program limits . Caseworkers should contact and document efforts to link recipient with LIHEAP , EHEAEP , and National Food and Shelter ( FEMA) program energy funds . V . FPL/Agency Interface FPL will solicit its customers to contribute to the "Care To Share" Emergency Energy Assistance Fund via the customer's monthly electric statement and may as an option supplement customer contributions with corporate contributions . FPL will determine in its sole discretion the method by which contributions will be 3 collected . FPL will collect and distribute these funds to the administrative Agency proportional to the amount of donations received in the area to which the Agency has agreed to provide program services . FPL corporate contributions will be distributed to the administrative Agency at the discretion of FPL . FPL will work closely with the Agency on timing of Agency funding . FPL funds will be disbursed to the Agency on a monthly basis . Commitments must be itemized using an FPL Payment Transmittal form or computer generated facsimile of the FPL Payment Transmittal form . FPL Transmittal envelopes must be used when remitting agency payment and FPL Payment Transmittal forms . In some cases agencies may not be able to use the Transmittal envelope because of their accounting system . In those cases the assigned ASSIST P . O . Box 02-5231 , Miami FL 33102-5231 must be used . No deductions from contributions will be made for overhead , salaries , administrative costs or any other expense incurred by the Agency. FPL's Assistance and Referral Representatives (ASSIST Reps).will serve as the utility's primary liaison on a day-to-day basis with Agency caseworkers concerning billing inquiries . ASSIST Reps will be contacted in a timely manner concerning committed program funds for each recipient . FPL Area Special Consumer Services Managers , as listed in this agreement , may serve as alternate contacts when necessary, and will serve as primary contact persons concerning the on- going administration of the program . The Agency will encourage energy conservation through referral of the client to FPL's free energy survey service ( 1 -800-DIAL FPL) and by distributing FPL conservation information when appropriate . The Agency will also encourage FPL' s various billing and payment options as appropriate for the recipient, including FPL 62PIus , Friendly Reminder, and Budget Billing . VI . Auditing The appropriate Agency designee will routinely review recipient files and the program process . The Agency will include the Care To Share fund in its internal auditing schedule and report any significant irregularities to FPL . In addition , the Agency, and/or its designees , will provide to the FPL area contact representative , on a quarterly basis (due April 15 , July 15 , Oct. 15 and Jan . 15) copies of FPL Payment Transmittal forms indicating the following : 1 . Total recipients served during the preceding quarter by county. 2 . Total amount disbursed during the preceding quarter by county. 3 . Beginning balance in Care To Share fund , by county. 4 . Care To Share funds provided to each county. 5 . Total amount remaining in Care To Share fund , by county. Copies of quarterly audit reports will be provided to the Agency by the FPL area contact employee . 4 In addition , when an Agency employee is to receive assistance , the Administrator of the Indian River County Health Department must contact the FPL Area Special Consumer Services Manager in advance for approval . VII . General The Agency and FPL personnel will strive to provide this community resource with a high degree of professionalism , reflecting positively on the program 's donors , FPL , and the Agency administrator. The Agency and FPL have named the following designees for purposes of this Agreement: FPL State Contact : Indian River County Contact: Louis Gonzalez Jason Brown , Coordinator, Special Consumer Services Director of the Office of P . 0 . Box 029100 Management and Budget Miami , FL 33102-9100 184025 th Street (305 ) 552-2672 Vero Beach , Florida 32960 (772 ) 226- 1214 FPL East Service Area Contact : Human Services Contact : Dianne Verner Miranda Swanson Special Consumer Services Assistant Administrator P . 0 . Box 8768 Indian River County Health Dept. West Palm Beach , FL 33407 190027 th Street (561 ) 640-2540 Vero Beach , Florida 32960 (772 ) 794-7450 Upon its execution , this Agreement shall supersede any previous agreements and remain in force until July 1 , 2008 . Either party has the right at any time on ninety (90) days written notice to the other to terminate or amend the Agreement. Should this happen , any remaining funds will be returned to FPL along with an accounting . The parties understand this program is designed to be flexible to the current needs of the community, and modifications may be made from time to time to make the program more effective . Any modifications to this Agreement must be by mutual agreement of the parties in form of a written amendment. [SIGNATURES ON FOLLOWING PAGE] s IN WITNESS WHEREOF , Florida Power & Light Company and Indian River County caused this Agreement to be executed on the date indicated below. Provider: Agency: FPL, Florida Power and Light Indian River County Board of County Company Commissioners B : By: '�� Arthur R. Neub6raer, Chairm n Ca�rdi'nator, Specia su er Services Approved by BCC : June 20 , 2006 a{ Address : , Florida Power and Light Company Attest: Jeffrey K. .Barton Clkk of Circuit Court P . O . Box 029100 '" ' "'` ' Miami , FL 33102-910 Date : ` .U� 196puty Clerk'; " ' { Approved : By. �' Jo ph A. Ejaird C ty Administrator Approved s to Form and Legal Sufficiency: B y. / ,fr Marian E . Fell Assistant County Attorney Indian River Co. Approved Date Administration 16 Legal Budget Department 6 "3 6 Risk Mgt.