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Dec. 15, 2011
The Garrett County commissioners reviewed a wide variety of issues during their public session last Tuesday at the courthouse in Oakland. Topics discussed included building permits, the Energy Assistance Program, a building purchase, and a bid award for standing timber.
Permits and inspections chief Jim Torrington reported that building permits were down in the county by more than 24 percent for the first 11 months of this year, compared to the same time period in 2010. Permits issued between January and the end of November 2011 were 368, compared to 486 in 2010, 459 in 2009, 513 in 2008, and 638 in 2007.
Torrington noted there were 16 modular home permits issued in the county last year, compared to only five this year. He attributed the decrease to a new code requiring that modular homes be equipped with fire suppression systems.
“It definitely has had an impact on the modular home industry in the county,” Torrington said about the regulation.
That industry, as well as the home construction one, will also be affected by new energy standards recently adopted by the Maryland Codes Administration. One specific regulation requires that new homes undergo a blower-door test. Energy auditors use the test to determine a home’s airtightness, which affects energy consumption.
The new requirement for modular homes goes into effect in the state on Jan. 1, 2012. For new home construction, counties have until July 1, 2012, to adopt the code. Torrington noted that since the requirement pertains to an energy code; it cannot be amended by the county. He indicated he wants to hold a meeting with local contractors sometime in the spring to educate them on the new energy code requirements.
Also last Tuesday, Community Action president Duane Yoder updated the commissioners on the Energy Assistance Program. He indicated that numerous local residents are in need of assistance to heat their homes this winter but because of issues at the federal level, funding has been tied up.
The program provides help with heating costs to low- and moderate-income households. It serves about 3,000 households in Garrett County each year.
“The program affects about a quarter of the households in Garrett County,” Yoder said. “And, to date, we’ve not been given permission to release any of the money.”
He explained that the federal government has not yet decided on a final budget for the program this year. As a result, Maryland does not know how much money it is going to get for the program, and, therefore, is not granting Community Action the authority to release any of the money that has already allocated to the agency.
“So, we’re sitting on money that has already been deposited in our account,” Yoder said about the $1 million that has been earmarked for energy assistance.
In the last few weeks, he noted, residents who are already certified for the program are calling his office, stating they are out of fuel. He said Community Action was working with Social Services and the faith-based community to help with the real dire emergencies.
“Is there anything we can do to help?” Commissioner Jim Raley asked.
Yoder suggested the commissioners contact the governor about the issue, which has become a life-threatening one for some households. He noted that the decision on the funding releases has been moved from Maryland Department of Human Resources to the Governor’s Office.
“A minimum benefit release would at least give us the ability to get through this until they decide what they are going to do,” Yoder said.
Further complicating the issue, he noted, is that federal officials are proposing cutting the program by 40 percent. Last year, beneficiaries received an average of $540. That could be cut to $224 this year, creating energy assistance needs again for local families in February and March.
Following the meeting, the commissioners, Yoder, and county administrator Monty Pagenhardt conducted a conference call with Governor’s Office officials about the funding issue.
More here.
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