Weatherization

COUNCIL OF THE SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS

Weatherization Assistance Program

Present Staff:

Curtis Lindsey, Program Coordinator

Randy Johnson, Field Coordinator

Nick Melnik, Estimator/Warehouse Supervisor

Lawrence Carper, Supervisor-Wx Technicians

Gregory Rushing, Wx Technician

Otis Snow, Wx Technician

Adam Hagerman, Wx Technician

Tim Cockrell, Wx Technician

James Stillwell, Wx Technician

Weatherization Special Report

Under the stimulus package, WV is to receive about 4 times the amount of funding previously received for Weatherization assistance. This means the Council will receive, $625,000 funding starting April 1, 2009, up from $192,000. Along with this money, production must increase by almost double, from 46 to 98 homes.

As we ramp up for this unprecedented increase in revenue and production quotas, we are starting the ordering process now.

Our Quality Control will need to improve and our warehouse needs to be maintained in an organized manner. We must have the space for supplies as we double our production quota.

We have already hired new crew members through Workforce WV and our own advertising, as named above. We are paying living wages as we know the amount we will receive and we are upgrading present staff and to try and offer a competitive salary.

Further areas we need to be working on are our intake/certification processes, a management plan for expansion, procurement practices and who will be doing this, and training resources. As this dramatic expansion progresses, we will keep you posted. Staff have already received internal training and attended a State sponsored training at the Princeton training facility. WE ARE ON OUR WAY TO BEING THE BEST WE CAN BE!!!

WEATHERIZATION WORKS

As the cold weather approaches, most families across the country are turning up their thermostats to combat dropping temperatures. For low-income families, however, cranking up the heat is not always an option. These families pay 16% or more of their annual income for energy compared with only 5% for other non low-income families. Unable to pay gaping balances or hefty reconnection fees, some families are considering how they will survive this winter without heat. The Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) may be able to help. This program provides permanent solutions to reduce the energy burden on low-income families by installing cost-effective, energy efficiency materials and services. Since the inception of the program in 1976, more than 5.6 million homes have been weatherized across the nation. Weatherization technicians use computerized energy audits and advanced diagnostic technologies to determine the most cost-effective measures for each home. Serving as the nation’s core program for delivering energy efficiency services to low-income households, the DOE Weatherization Assistance Program prioritizes the elderly, persons with disabilities, and households with children. The Weatherization Program serves every county in the nation through its partnerships with local agencies. The Council of the Southern Mountains is the local agency serving the citizens of McDowell County.

COUNCIL OF THE SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS

Weatherization Program

CSM is responsible for weatherizing 98 homes this program year, which ends June 30, 2010. The State’s guideline for cost per completion has been increased to $6,000.00 per unit . CSM currently has 74 applications on file with 37 of these under 75% of the poverty level; 16 are in the 75-100% poverty level; 14 are in the 101-125% poverty level; 6 are in the 126-150% poverty level; 1 is over 150% of poverty level. Guidelines now will allow services for individuals up to 200% of the poverty level.

After the agency’s reorganization in 2006, administrative duties have been distributed among several Council employees. Latonia Foster is responsible for updating applications, updating the flow chart which is used in the selection process of jobs to be completed ansd entering information into WV FACS Pro. Heather Eldridge adn Regina Sanders are also responsible for entering data in WVFACS Pro and providing information regarding applications on file for monthly reporting. Brenda Melnik, Director of Finance, is training Curtis Lindsey to be responsible for completion of job booklets, summary pages per client, monthly progress reports, American Electric Power invoicing, STAT report, and the funding requests. Mr. Lindsey will also perform field inspections with corrective action plans, safety training and crisis assistance.

If you need services from our Weatherization Program, you may call the warehouse at (304) 436-6453 or the Main Office at (304) 862-3144.

The Energy Crisis Intervention Program was initiated on November 1, 2006 to assist low-income individuals with no heat. This program allows for staff to respond in emergency situations so no person or family will perish because of lack of services. CSM will strive to perfect this program and ensure the best possible crisis intervention. It will start again this fall on November 1, 2009.

You may e-mail the Program Coordinator, Curtis Lindsey at:

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Randal Johnson at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it