Oconto County has issued almost $100,000 in emergency aid this winter to residents struggling to heat their homes, and according to one county official, another crisis is looming.
The first requests for crisis assistance came on Jan. 15, and in less than a month, the Health and Human Services Department received 840 calls requesting crisis funding, according to Penny Helmle, economic support division manager for Oconto County.
Between Jan. 15 and Feb. 11, the department prepared 336 applications and paid out $91,000.
Prolonged cold weather and a propane shortage that spiked prices up to $7 a gallon prompted residents to apply for assistance. According to Helmle, propane prices have moderated to about $3.79 a gallon, although prices vary day to day and vendor to vendor.
“The calls are still coming in strong. The requests for money are still coming in strong,” she told the County Board on Thursday.
The department purchased and distributed 20 electric heaters for households in need.
“It was a five-day wait for LP, and they may not have had any heat at all, so we gave out heaters,” Helmle said.
Originally, Oconto County received $30,500 from the state for its crisis fund; two additional allocations of $35,000 and $53,000 brought the total to $118,500. All but $16,000 has been paid out, Helmle said, and the county will request additional funding.
In addition to the emergency aid, $610,500 in benefits were issued to low income residents through the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP), and 55 furnace repairs or replacements were done at a cost of $58,624.
Top county officials met soon after the crisis began and authorized up to $50,000 in emergency aid from county funds. Helmle said this fund hasn’t been tapped yet, but may be needed to address a second concern: high electric bills. She said residents are relying more on electric heaters to heat their homes, causing electric bills to rise.
“A lot of these people are low income, and they were just making their bills the way it was, and now they’ve gone so high. They’re struggling, and they’re calling us,” she said.
Utility customers are safe for now, Helmle said, because their electricity can’t be disconnected during the heating season. After April 15, disconnection is allowed.
The staff at the Health and Human Services Department has been delaying action for these clients, Helmle said.
To receive benefits, individuals must meet income and household-size requirements set by the state.
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