Last month, I shared that our board of directors decided to postpone the 2020 Annual Meeting, originally scheduled for Saturday, July 25. We’re all hoping that the pandemic continues to ebb, but the safety of each member we serve will always be our primary consideration.
As of this mid-June writing, we’ve started to cautiously reopen and many are eager to get back to work. Others don’t have a clear path for returning to their pre-COVID employment and the bills continue to arrive.
Editor’s Note: The print verson of Indiana Connection listed July 1 as the disconnect moratorium expiration. That expiration date was extended after the magazine’s deadline. The online version of this article has been updated to reflect the moratorium’s extension to August 14.
On June 30, 2020, Gov. Holcomb (no relation to me!) extended the moratorium on utility service disconnections until August 14. Our staff has put a lot of time and effort into how Tipmont will respond. If you read no further, please know this: We’re going to do everything we can to help you if the COVID-19 lockdowns have affected your income.
First, we will not disconnect anyone with past due amounts on August 14. That’s not who we are.
If you have past due amounts, we’re asking you to call our member service team to arrange a payment plan to catch up on your past due amount. If you have a larger account balance, we’ll give you more time to pay your past due amount. The payment plans will not carry any interest and you will not incur any late fees on the past due amounts during the COVID-19 moratorium.
I also want to mention other sources of help available to those in need. Indiana’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a one-time benefit to help you cover your utility bills. The application deadline was recently extended to July 31. More information is available at www. in.gov/ihcda/4067.htm.
Other resources include:
- Area IV EAP: 765-447-7683
- Community Action EAP: 765-362-3790
- Lafayette Urban Ministries (LUM): 765-423-2691
- Salvation Army: 765-742-0006
- Local churches and township trustees
I hope this will help those of you who’ve fallen on hard times through no direct fault of your own. Thankfully, the number of Tipmont members with past due amounts is less than 2% of our total membership. We live and work in this community and when you struggle, we all struggle. We’re here for you and our commitment has never been stronger.
