Ellensburg raises eligibility threshold for utility low‑income discount to 40% AMI

Ellensburg City Council on June 2 adopted Ordinance 4962 to extend the city’s low‑income utility discount eligibility to households at or below 40% of Area Median Income (AMI).

Heidi Baron Sternaway, city manager standing in for the utility services director, said the ordinance corrects an inadvertent policy change that had left some customers out of the low‑income programs after earlier 2018–2019 adjustments. "The goal was to not leave anyone behind," she said, and the ordinance restores eligibility based on 40% AMI in addition to the existing thresholds.

Baron Sternaway told council the program is operated under contract with HopeSource; households are recertified every two years under that agreement. She said the city's prior cost‑of‑service work estimated roughly $200,000 across all utility programs for low‑income support and that actual spending has remained fairly consistent over recent years.

Council members asked how many customers would be affected by reinstating the 40% AMI threshold; staff replied the change would affect about 36 customers who might otherwise have been excluded under the prior language.

The council took the ordinance up for second reading and adoption; a roll-call vote recorded councilors voting in favor and the ordinance was adopted. The ordinance amends Section 9.30.0.20 of Chapter 9.3 (Utility Rates) of the Ellensburg City Code to reflect the revised eligibility.