Utility Financial Assistance Program

Program Began March 1st, 2011

The Town of Sawmills offers a utility bill assistance program. The purpose of this program is to provide limited emergency funds to help pay the utility bill for a customer experiencing financial hardship resulting from job loss, medical crisis, etc. Emergency funding may cover an applicant’s entire utility bill including water, sewer and sanitation.

Qualifications:

  1. The applicant must have a Town of Sawmills utility account.

  2. The applicant’s utility account must be for service to a single family residence.

  3. The applicant must reside at the residence.

  4. The applicant’s circumstances must warrant financial assistance.

  5. The applicant’s monthly income must be 150% of the federal poverty level, or lower.

Limitations:

  1. An applicant may not apply for assistance more than 2 times during any 24-month period.

  2. If an applicant has been approved for assistance 2 times within a 24-month period, the applicant must wait 12 months from the date of the last application before applying for additional assistance.

  3. The amount of assistance shall be determined by South Caldwell Christian Ministries, a nonprofit corporation; however, in each instance the approved assistance shall be for no more than 3 months and the amount of assistance shall not exceed $100 in any month.

  4. The amount of funds in the Sawmills Utilities Financial Assistance Program is limited and can affect the availability of assistance.

Application Process:

  • Applications are available at Sawmills Town Hall.

  • The applicant shall first take the completed application to the town.

  • Upon the town receiving the application, the applicant will not incur additional late charges and service will continue for an additional 48 hours until a decision on assistance is made.

  • Applicants shall then take the application and verification documents to Caldwell County Department of Social Services (DSS).

  • DSS will review the application and it will then send the application, along with DSS’s recommendation as to whether financial assistance should be approved, to South Caldwell Christian Ministries.

  • South Caldwell Christian Ministries will make the final decision as to whether the applicant will receive assistance and, if so, the amount of the assistance. 

  • South Caldwell Christian Ministries shall remit to the Town of Sawmills from the assistance fund the utility payments it approves.