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Marrh ?~ lq71
<br />
<br />Food Stamps
<br />
<br /> The program has grown from 780 non-assistance families participating in the program in
<br />April, 1969 to 3,542 families participating in January, 1971. July through December, 1970
<br />had an average of 284 new applications taken each month. Each Technician ~s thus presently
<br />attempting to serve 506 cases plus new applications.
<br />
<br /> With the present inadequate staff it is impossible to make the field investigations re-
<br />quired by the State and Federal regulations. In the month of January, 1971 there were approx-
<br />imately 30 home visits made by the staff. The State recommends an average of 10% of the parti-
<br />cipating families should be visited each month, which is presently impossible.
<br />
<br /> While it would appear there should be a reduction in local costs in the welfare program
<br />due to the assumption of the State of an additional 20% in administrative costs and the
<br />elimination of local costs as of January 1, 1972, in four financial assistance program cate-
<br />gor~es, it does not appear that any financia~ relief will be received by the City from the
<br />State take-over of these programs.
<br />
<br /> For the information of the City Council, there is attached hereto a projection of welfare
<br />expenditures in the. City of Portsmouth from fiscal year 1966 through fiscal year 1972. This
<br />shows Federal, State and local costs in the welfare program.
<br />
<br /> On motion of Mr. Irvine Smith, a report on the current City of Portsmouth Welfare budget
<br />and the projected effect of the new State regulations regarding the 1971-72 welfare budget
<br />was refered to the budget study committee, by the following vote:
<br />
<br />Ayes: Holley, Johnson, %M~ine Smith, Raymond Smith, Turner, Barnes
<br />Nays: None
<br />
<br /> Mr. Raymond Smith made a motion to immediately turn over to the State for handling, Aid
<br />to Dependent Children and Administrative expenses. This motion carried on a vote of:
<br />
<br />Ayes: Holley, Johnson, Irvine Smith, Raymond Smith, Turner, Barnes
<br />Nays:
<br />
<br /> 71-118 "At the last meeting of City Council I was requested to investigate a complaint
<br />made by Reverend George R. Fields when he appeared before Council relative to hisimost recent
<br />water bill.
<br />
<br /> Our records show that service at 500 Eisenhower Circle, the address given us by Reverend
<br />Fields, was initiated on October IS, 1967 in the name of Mrs. Anna Colt and this account is
<br />still being served in the name of Mrs. Coit. Reverend Fields indicated by phone last week
<br />that Mrs. Coit is his wife. The following information concerning this account has been fur-
<br />nished me by the Director of Public Utilities.
<br />
<br /> Records were researched for the period July, 1965 thrb~$h January, 1971. The highest
<br />quarterly consumption during this period was in July, 1966 of 4800 cubi feet. The lowest
<br />quarterly consumption was in January, 1968, this being 1100 cubic feet. The average quarterly
<br />consumption for the entire period was 2400 cubic feet per q~arter. The average quarterly
<br />consumption by years is as follows:
<br />
<br />1966 4000 cubic feet
<br />1967 2200 cubic feet
<br />1968 2300 cubic feet
<br />1969 1700 cubic feet
<br />1970 1800 cubic feet
<br />
<br />The consumption for the period October 5, 1970 through January 4, 1971 was 2900 cubic feet.
<br />This was higher than the average quarterly consumption for the previous five quarters.
<br />
<br /> The meter was read on January 4 for the normal billing and was reread on January 7 to
<br />verify the reading. The meter was read agmin on March 10, 1971. This reading indicates a
<br />consumption 2000 cubic feet during the past 59 days which, if projected for a 90-day period,
<br />would result in a quarterly consumption of approximately 3000 cubic feet which is consistent
<br />with the previous quarter's consumption. Reverend Fields stated that there was water in the
<br />meter box. This has been determined to be ground water and-does not affact the reading of the
<br />meter. Even though the current consumption is above the average for the past five ~uarters,
<br />it is not inconsistent with consumptions of recent years. The current bill of $22.85, wh&ch
<br />was overdue and about which Reverend Fields complained, was paid on March 8, 1971.The attached
<br />summary of meter reading records for this address covers the period of January 7, 1966 through
<br />January 4, 1971."
<br />
<br />50~ On motion of Mr. Holley, the report on the water bill for RBserend George R. Fields,
<br /> Eisenhower Circle, was received as information by the following vote:
<br />
<br />Ayes: Holley, Johnson, Irvine Smith, Raymond Smith, Turner, Barnes
<br />Nays: None
<br />
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