Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 11-18-2008 - 4jORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: November 18, 2008 Action Agen a Item No, SUBJECT: Resolution Endorsing Taste of Hope Program DEPARTMENT: County Manager PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): 10/17/08 Letter of Request and Resolution from OWASA Board Chair Randy Kabrick INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Blackmon, 245-2300 PURPOSE: To consider a resolution endorsing and encouraging participation in the Taste of Hope customer assistance program sponsored by the Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) and the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service (IFC). BACKGROUND: The Taste of Hope customer assistance program has been sponsored by OWASA and IFC since 1997. The program provides the opportunity for OWASA customers to have their monthly bills automatically rounded up to the nearest dollar and the additional funds serve as a donation to help families in need. IFC administers the "Taste of Hope" program and allocates the donations to temporarily help OWASA customers when they are unable to pay their water/sewer bills. OWASA Board Chair Randy Kabrick provided the attached letter of request and resolution asking the BOCC to endorse the Taste of Hope program and encourage OWASA customers to participate as donors. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact for the County associated with consideration of the resolution. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends the Board approve the resolution endorsing and encouraging participation in the Taste of Hope customer assistance program sponsored by OWASA and IFC. a OlNASA October 17, 2008 Qualitt Service Since 1977 Barry Jacobs, Chair Board of Commissioners County of Orange PO Box 81$ I k-Iillsborough, NC 27278 Mark Chilton. Mayor Town of Carrboro s0l West Main Street Carrboro, NC 27510 Dear Chair Jacobs, Mayor Chilton and. Mayor Foy: Kevin Foy, Mayor Town of Chapel Hill 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard Chapel Hill, NC 27514 On behalf of the OWASA Board of Directors, I am writing to ask that tl~e Orange County Board of Commissioners, Carrboro Board of Aldermen and Chapel Hill Town Council formally endorse the Taste of"Hope Customer Assistance Program. As you know, this is a difficult time, especially far families of modest means who get by from paycheck to paycheck. We are continuing our campaign to get more people to donate to the: Taste of Hope program through mailings with our bills, calumns in local newspapers,. etc. However, I believe a public expression of.your support as the elected leadership of the .community we sense would be very timely and effective. Endorsements in tele~~ised meetings of your respective boards would be an excellent way to reach more people about helping families in need simply and painlessly through the Taste of Hope program. Having one`s OWASA bills automatically rounded up to the nearest dollar costs less than $] 2 .per year. We would like to schedule times when we can make a brief presentation to each of the_governing boards and ask you to adopt resolutions of suppari, and will he in touch with your staff. Best regards. Dandy Kabrick, P.E. Chair of the OWASA Board Enclosure (suggested resolution to endorse the Taste of Hope program) c: Mr. Chris Moran, Executive Director, Inter-Faith Cou»cil for Social Service Board of Directors Ed Kerwin Robert Epting 400 Junes Ferr~~ Road :Equal Opponunlt} Employer tibice (919) 968.4421 PO Be~x 3fi6 Printed on Recycled Paper FAx (919) 468.4464 Carrboro,lC 27510-0366 N'0'w.6H'QSR.OIA 3 A RESOLUTION ENDORSING THE TASTE OF HOPE PROGRAM. AND ENCOURAGING MORE CITIZENS TO BECOME DONORS WHEREAS, these are difficult times because of the slowdown in the economy and increases in the costs of necessities such as energy and food, and these circumstances are most challenging far families who have the least resources; and WHEREAS, when a family in our community cannot pay for water and sewer service, the family is in a financial emergency; and WHEREAS, our citizens have demonstrated in many ways for many years their commitment to .and caring for the well-being of everyone in the community; and WHEREAS, since 1997 the Inter-faith Council for Social Service (IFC) and the Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) have sponsored the Taste of Hope Program to help low to moderate income OWASA customers when they are unable to pay their-water/sewer bills; and WHEREAS, if an OWASA customer decides to become a regular donor to the Taste of Hope Program, the customer's monthly bill is automatically rounded up to the nearest dollar, and the added amount goes to the IFC to.help OWASA customers;.and WHEREAS, the. IFC has a track record of commitment and service to families in need in the Chapel Hil - Carrboro-Southern Orange County communi y since 1963 as atax-exempt, charitable 501(c)(3) organization; and WHEREAS, OWASA is acommunity-owned, non-profit public entity and in accord with Sta a law, OWASA does not use its customers' revenues to fund or promote the Taste of Hope program, but .uses voluntary donations; and :WHEREAS, only about 5% of OWA$A's customers are regular donors in the Taste-of Hope program `and it is apparent that the Taste of Hope program is not widely known; and WHEREAS, an OWASA customer can become a Taste of Hope donor simply by calling OWASA Customer Service at 537-4343, sending a-mail to webmaster@owasa.org or using OWASA's on-line farm at hops://owasaorg.ipower.com/taste_form.asp; and WHEREAS, citizens are also invited to contribute to the Taste of Hope program with donations directly to the fFC ai 100 West Main Street, Carrborp, NC 27510; NOW, THEREFORE, B'E IT RESaLVED BY THE THAT THE HEREBY: Strongly endorses the Taste of Hope Customer Assistance Programsponsored by the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service and the Orange Water and Sewer Authority; and Expresses its sincere appreciation to citizens who are already Taste of Hope donors; and Encourages more citizens to donate to the Taste of Hope program on a regular basis by having their monthly OWASA bills rounded up to the nearest dollar and/or by making donations directly to the IFC. This the ~ day of+, 2008.