The city of Statesboro is revising the eligibility limits on water-bill credits to give more low-income seniors a break after hearing from Concerted Services Inc. But the change has not been enacted yet.

Last year City Council voted to give low-income residents age 65 and up a credit on their sanitation bills to counteract the city’s then-new stormwater utility fee, which is $3.95 a month for a single-family home. This summer, the council created a second credit for low-income seniors to counter a $2 increase in the base charge for in-town residential water service.

These two credits, totaling $5.95 a month, amount to a $71.40 saving each year, if someone applies and is approved.

The city made an agreement earlier this year with nonprofit Concerted Services, which administers government-funded services for low-income people, to determine eligibility for the credits.

“What that entails is, a senior comes into our office, 65 years of age, and their income is at the 100 percent of the poverty guideline, as set by the city, and they meet those guidelines, we would do the application for the city and that individual would receive a $5.95 credit every month,” said Concerted Services Bulloch County Coordinator Alex Smith.

Speaking to City Council Tuesday, Smith asked if the city was willing to increase the income eligibility limit from 100 percent of the federal poverty rate to 125 percent. That, he said, is the cutoff for most of the programs Concerted Services administers.

At the 100 percent federal poverty level guideline, an individual would qualify only if that senior citizen’s income was $990 a month or less. At the 125 percent rate, individuals could make up to $1,238 a month, he said.

“We have turned around a lot of seniors because they were a dollar over that $990-a-month threshold, and a lot of seniors are confused because with most of the programs that we’re running it’s set at 125 percent,” Smith said. “So you have those seniors that normally come in and they qualify, and now we’re telling them they don’t qualify.”

So far, he said, Concerted Services had received 24 applications, of which about 23 had been approved. But he said that six or seven more seniors had been turned away without completing the application. The agency is keeping a list of names to call would-be applicants back if the city does increase the limit to 125 percent, and he estimated that most would qualify.

Concerted Services expects the number of applicants for the city’s credit to increase in November, which is when the agency takes applications for the federally funded Low-Income Home Energy Assistance program, Smith noted.

Mayor Jan Moore asked how the city could increase the income limit on its credits. City Attorney Alvin Leaphart said an amendment to a city ordinance establishing the credits would probably be needed. He suggested changing the ordinance to allow the poverty guidelines to be adjusted by a simpler rule change in the future.

Council supports

Several council members said they supported the increase, and none expressed opposition.

“I agree with you, I think 125 percent would make it simpler and would also allow us to serve more citizens of Statesboro,” Councilman Sam Jones told Smith.

Leaphart said he would draft the necessary document so it can be presented at the next council meeting.

The stormwater utility fee, which funds improvements and maintenance to Statesboro’s drainage system, is higher for commercial and other properties larger than a typical household. In fact, for those properties the charge is a multiple of $3.95 based on the area of roofs, pavement and other impervious areas. Other credits are available for some of these properties.

This summer’s base fee increase for water and sewer service was also higher than $2 for customers outside the city limits and for commercial accounts. But commercial accounts were not included in the low-income seniors’ credit.

Herald reporter Al Hackle may be reached at (912) 489-9458.