Program cuts natural-gas use by 45 percent

By D.a. Wilkinson

The Columbiana County Department of Job and Family Services also reported cutting expenses.

LISBON — Nonprofit and public agencies are showing how they can stretch their funds to help the needy.

Jack Laverty, a manager for Columbia Gas of Ohio, said Wednesday that the Community Action Agency of Columbiana County provided recipients with the highest natural-gas savings through its weatherization program from 2000 to 2007.

The Columbia Gas WarmChoice program is for people whose income is at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty guideline. This means for a family of four, the annual family income must be at or below $30,000.

In its latest analysis, Laverty said, the CAA’s weatherization reduced natural-gas consumption by 45 percent.

“That’s phenomenal,” Laverty said. “That’s the highest in the state.”

Carol Bretz, the executive director of the Community Action Agency, gave all the credit to the men who weatherize the homes.

Bretz said the workers go into crawl spaces in summer and in winter to seal homes.

The crews completed work on 73 homes between July 1 and Dec. 31 of last year.

“They do impeccable work,” Bretz said. “I just stay out of their way.”

She added, “It’s one success story Columbiana County needs to hear,” she added.

The program received $2.3 million in American Recovery And Reinvestment Act funds and has spent $543,000 so far.

The program retained 12 jobs, created seven more and plans to hire three more workers.

Bretz said that representatives from CNN were filming in the county two weeks ago and are supposed to mention that the local program has been in the state top- five programs for weatherization in recent years, but was never the top agency.

Eileen Dray-Bardon, the director of Columbiana County Department of Job and Family Services, also told the commissioners Wednesday that JFS has cut costs to cope with state- funding cuts.

With 16 unfilled positions in the county agency, the biweekly payroll has been cut by an average of $10,200. Using staff cars instead of getting mileage for private vehicles has saved $4,000 a month.

Overtime in 2009 was cut to $6,148, a savings of $21,760 over the 2008 cost.

There were 4,822 requests for welfare in 2008. That jumped to 6,240 cases in 2009, an increase of 30 percent.

Commissioner Penny Traina said, “We are aware that there are hard times in the county.”

wilkinson@vindy.com