6.1.D ERMUSR 04-14-2020UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING
TO: FROM:
ERMU Commission Jennie Nelson Customer Service Manager
MEETING DATE: AGENDA ITEM NUMBER:
April 14, 2020 6.1d
SUBJECT:
Staff Update
ACTION REQUESTED:
None
DISCUSSION:
We have been busy working through the changes to our department due to COVID-19.
We are currently not penalizing any accounts for late payments, sending any reminder
notices, or doing any disconnects for non-payment. ve spent significant time working
with our software company, National Information Solutions Cooperative (NISC), to
accommodate these changes. Attached is a document we received from Tri-Cap
regarding new application requirements for customers seeking assistance.
The Customer Service Department created a staggered schedule to handle all customer
inquiries during COVID-19. Our phones are rolled to our after-hours service, Cooperative
Response Center (CRC), and we are responding to all the inquiries that CRC takes as
customers call in. There are certainly bumps in the road, but it is going well. Based on a
few of data from CRC, our call volume was ranging between 65 and over
100 calls per day at the end of March.
NISC had to perform a data fix on April bills to refund some City of Elk River and
Sherburne County Transit Taxes to our customers. We had been collecting those taxes
on garbage service and we should not have been. Unfortunately, the State of Minnesota
was not clear on which taxes are applicable for solid waste, but they have given us
direction to refund those taxes and no longer collect for that service.
Staff continues to work through any issues related to the AppSuite implementation.
Weve had to tweak many processes, fix data errors, and create new procedure
documentation. This will likely be an ongoing process.
ATTACHMENTS:
Tri-County Action Program Flyer
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Page 1 of 1
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Tri-County Action Program April 8,2020
Helping Central Minnesotans in times of need
rd
1210 23 Ave S --- PO Box 683 Waite Park, 56387
320.251.1612 Fax 320.654.9473
Due to the COVID 19 we have posted on Tri- updated Energy Assistance Application
with ƓĻǞ criteria on income documentation with a new deadline to submit applications. You can
download the application from our website or call our office if you need some applications.
The Energy Assistance Program (EAP) is still busy processing applications. We are taking applications up
ƭƷ th
until WǒƌǤ ЊͲ ЋЉЋЉ. Starting April 7, 2020 through the end of heat season, Commerce is expanding the
Crisis Eligibility. ŷĻ ğƒƚǒƓƷ ŅƚƩ ĭƩźƭźƭ ǞĻƓƷ ŅƩƚƒ υЏЉЉ Ʒƚ υЊЋЉЉ͵ At this time, many connected utilities
are not issuing disconnection notices. Commerce EAP is implementing an option to pay a past due bill.
Allowing household to qualify for Crisis without a disconnection notice. EAP Intakes will be calling or
emailing for disconnection notices and low on fuel.
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