Board of County Commissioners
Agenda Request

Date of Meeting: August 4, 2008

Date Submitted: July 21, 2008

To: Honorable Chairman and Members of the Board

From: Benjamin H. Pingree, County Administrator
Lindsay Stevens, Assistant County Administrator
Alfred Nelson, Housing Director
Robin Dias, WAP Coordinator

Subject: Board Approval of a Resolution for the Modification of the Cost-Reimbursement Agreement for $4,564.00 in Additional Funding for the 2008/09 Weatherization Assistance Program

Statement of Issue:
This agenda item requests Board approval of a Resolution for modification of the cost-reimbursement agreement for $4,564.00 in additional funding for the 2008/09 Weatherization Assistance Program, for hosting the Statewide Weatherization Assistance Program’s 2008 Hot Climate Training - Phase II.

Background:
The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) Grant is funded through the Department of Community Affairs (DCA). WAP provides energy conservation assistance (Weatherization) for homes of eligible Wakulla County families. Weatherization helps with repairs such as doors, windows, insulation, caulking, weather stripping, minor ceiling, floor and wall repairs, electric, plumbing, steps, hand-rails wheelchair ramps, water heaters and septic systems. The program is available to very-low income homeowners, elderly, handicap and disabled applicants.

The Weatherization Assistance Program’s 2008 Hot Climate Training - Phase II was held on May 12 - 23, 2008, at the Best Western Hotel, Crawfordville, Florida, and the on-site training was conducted at several residential locations around Wakulla County.  Mr. Robin Dias, the Wakulla County WAP Coordinator, hosted the statewide training and was responsible for making the hotel reservations and logistical support for the participants.

Analysis:
The Weatherization Assistance Program enables low-income families to permanently reduce their energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient.  By reducing the energy bills of low-income families instead of offering aid, weatherization reduces the need for dependency and liberates much needed household income to be spent on more pressing family issues.  WAP is a biannually awarded, federally funded non-competitive grant, which requires no matching funds.

Agenda Request:  Request Board Approval of a Request for the Modification of the Cost-Reimbursement Agreement for $4,564.00 in Additional Funding for the 2008/09 Weatherization Assistance Program
August 4, 2008

The Florida 2008 Weatherization Assistance Program Hot Climate Training – Phase II training was attended by over 28 Weatherization Coordinators and by over 150 workers from the Weatherization Assistance Programs and Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Programs throughout the state.  The training consisted of 4 two and one/half day workshops that covered on-site weatherization techniques.  Classroom sessions and on-site hands-on activities covered: Implementation of the Priority List Assessment and Testing form (PLAT) coordinating measures installation with the priority list, Home Inspection, and Diagnostic Testing.

The modification cost-reimbursement agreement for $4,564.00 is per an agreement between Wakulla County and the State of Florida, Department of Community Affairs, during the planning stages of WAP Hot Climate Training – Phase II training, and is an increase in the expenditures for 2008/09 Weatherization Assistance Program Contract.

The 2008/09 WAP Contract # 08WX-7H-02-75-01-036 for $21,185.00 was approved by the Board on March 11, 2008, and the modification agreement will increase the total funding for the 2008/09 WAP contract allocation to $25,749.00.

Option:

1. Approve a Resolution for Modification of the Cost-Reimbursement Agreement for $4,564.00 in additional funding for the 2008/09 Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) Contract.
2. Do not approve a Resolution for the Modification of the Cost-Reimbursement Agreement for $4,564.00 in additional funding for the 2008/09 Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) Contract.
3. Board direction.

Recommendation:
Option #1

Attachments:

1. Modification Agreement
2. Department of Community Affairs Agreement Modification Letter
3. Resolution
4. Weatherization Assistance Program Budget Amendment
5. Agenda Request, Dated: March 11, 2008
6. Weatherization Hot Climate Training Phase II Booklet