By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Nephi City will give an electric utility bill credit
to all residents who are members of the Utah National Guard
who have been activated and deployed in conjunction with the
war in Iraq.
The one catch to the whole program, however, is that
the deployed member (or the immediate family) must apply for
the credit.
A separate application will need to be made for each
of the months the Guard member served.
"You have before you a draft of the policy you have
previously discussed that indicates the interest you
expressed," said Randy McKnight, city administrator.
The discussion referred to took place during a work
meeting session.
Work meetings, held, on average, the week following
formal council meeting, are held to discuss items of
interest to the council. However, no formal decisions nor
votes can be made at those meetings.
"As you, as a council, indicated the credit would
affect those called up between July 1 of 2002 and January 31
of 2003," said McKnight.
Other terms of the offer are that the individual must
make application, must provide a copy of their military
orders, and that the credit will be given for the electric
utility only.
Nephi City is a member of the UMPA (Utah Municipal
Power Agency) and, as such, is the owner and operator of the
electric utility which makes it possible for the council to
allow a credit for the power bills of the soldier's
homes.
The applicant must be a resident of Nephi City and the
head-of-the household during the War in Iraq.
Each household of a participant in this particular
conflict will be given a $75 credit for each month of the
conflict and each month's bill would require a separate
application.
"The electric bill credits would be retroactive," said
Chad Brough, mayor.
No cash will be given but the monetary credit will be
applied to the electric utility bill of the applicant.
"The way the program would work," said McKnight, "is
that if the bill for July, for example, was $68, then the
electric utility credit would be the $68. But, if the bill
was $85, then the credit would be $75."
The same would be true if the electric power bill was
$110, the credit would still be $75.
Brough requested that the city staff make an effort to
contact those families of soldiers who are, or have been,
active military personnel activated because of the conflict
of the war in Iraq.
"The war is really starting to wear on our community's
soldiers," said Brough. "This is one way to show our
gratitude for their service."
The policy adopted reads as follows.
Nephi City will offer to military personnel, called
into active duty in connection with the war in Iraq, a
credit on Nephi City utility accounts in accordance with the
following:
The credit is available only to head-of-household
National Guard and reserve unit members called into active
duty.
The time spent on active duty must be between July 1,
2002 and December 31, 2003.
Qualifying customers will make application to the city
for the credit and will supply copies of the orders that
comment the period of active duty.
The credit is for electric utility changes at the
residence of the military personnel and can be for up to $75
per month, calculated separately for each month of active
duty.
|
