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Resolution No. 20-47 CITY OF TIGARD, OREGON TIGARD CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION NO. 20-47 A RESOLUTION EXPANDING ELIGIBILITY FOR TIGARD'S PROGRAM TO PROVIDE A MONTHLY UTILITY CREDIT FOR RESIDENTIAL AND BUSINESS CUSTOMERS AFFECTED BY COVID-19,WAIVING LATE FEES,AND SUSPENDING SHUTOFFS WHEREAS, on March 17, 2020, Tigard City Council passed Resolution No. 20-24, approving a monthly utility credit of up to $40 per month for unemployed residential utility customers and business customers negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic;and WHEREAS, in early August, Washington County authorized $3 million in utility assistance funding as part of Washington County CARES, which was intended to provide payment of full utility bills to unemployed and underemployed residential customers,as well as business customers adversely affected by COVID-19;and WHEREAS,the City wishes to streamline its utility bill assistance programs consistent with the County's CARES program;and WHEREAS, since the beginning of the declared emergency in March,the City has been waiving certain late fees on utility bills and suspending utility shutoffs as part of the City's emergency declaration;and WHEREAS, to give more certainty to the City's utility customers as to the duration of the late fee and shutoff suspension,the City is separating that relief from the emergency declaration and instead setting a date certain. NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED by the Tigard City Council that: SECTION 1: Upon verification of unemployment or underemployment associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, as determined by the City of Tigard, the City may credit up to the full amount per month towards a residential customer's Tigard utility account bill. The credit is available to all residential customers served by a Tigard utility,including customers outside the city limits for whom Tigard provides water service. A customer must reapply for the credit each month in order to continue receiving it. SECTION 2: Upon verification that a business has been negatively impacted by COVID-19, such as for a forced closure or curtailment of operations,the City may credit up to$500 per month towards a business customer's Tigard utility account bill. The credit is available to all business customers served by a Tigard utility,including customers outside the city limits for which Tigard provides water service. A customer must reapply for the credit each month in order to continue receiving it. SECTION 3: This utility bill credit program will remain in effect until December 31,2020 or until the funding that the City has allocated for this program is spent, whichever comes first. The City is allocating $625,000 for the residential credit program and $125,000 for the business credit program. SECTION 4: The City may adopt rules and procedures to implement this utility credit program. RESOLUTION NO. 20-47 Page 1 SECTION 5: The City of Tigard will temporarily waive all late fees and shutoff actions for utility accounts accruing as of March 16,2020 and continuing until January 1,2021. SECTION 6: This resolution repeals and replaces Resolution 20-24 and is effective immediately upon passage. PASSED: This 22nd day of September 2020. Mayor-City of Tigard ATTEST: — QLl�j 2 1,—, Deputy City Recorde -City of Tigard RESOLUTION NO. 20-47 Page 2