HARPSWELL

This winter’s frigid temperatures has meant the town of Harpswell has needed to shell out more in heating assistance.

“In the month of January, we have paid out over $8,000 in assistance, and that is more than we paid out in the entire year of 2017,” Town Administrator Kristi Eiane said. “So we have improved our outreach.

“But I would say, there was still this suggestion that we ought to consider making the program even more available to people with certain incomes.”

Harpswell is not done making changes to its heating assistance program.

In January, the town made several changes to the program to increase usage of the program, and fine-tuned the application process at the selectboard’s Feb. 1 meeting. More changes may be coming at the town’s annual meeting in March.

Last month, the town worked to increase awareness of the town’s heating assistance program and make it easier for residents to apply for help. The application was reduced to one page, and it can be filled out online, in person, by mail or even over the phone.

“We have really been working hard to meet people’s needs,” said Eiane. “I think all of these things are really helping to make it easier for people and break down that barrier of being maybe embarrassed to come through the front door.”

In prior years, the heating assistance program was available for a single 200-gallon delivery of heating fuel, but in an effort to make it more flexible, the town has changed it to two deliveries of 100 gallons each.

The selectmen also directed the town staff to use discretion in determining if other income or savings should count against their application. At the Feb. 1 meeting, selectmen went a step further in eliminating questions from the application about individuals other available funds, current employer, or whether they’d previously applied for heating assistance.

Eiane pointed out a recent incident where a person told town officials that they were qualified for assistance under the town’s home repair program, but not under its heating assistance program. The home repair program has slightly higher income limits.

Previously, the town’s heating assistance program was only available to those under the federal poverty limit. Selectmen changed the requirement for that program to what the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development defines as low income, which is significantly higher. For a household of one, the federal poverty limit of 200 percent comes out to $2,010 monthly. Under the new guidelines, that limit would be $3,300.

After some discussion, the selectmen expressed interest in expanding the heating assistance program at the March town meeting to possibly include heater repairs or replacements.

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