We stopped taking the newspaper. No one in the house was reading it and we didn't like the way it was slanted. However, being in a small town, we wind up in the paper now & then, so I was checking online to see if there was a story about Special Olympics recently (Connor was on the front page last year).
No mention of the sports camp (yet). So I putz around in case something else has happened, and after the dismal job opportunities (we always check that), I notice something about stimulus help with weatherization for your house.
Our house was built in the 50's at a time when energy was very cheap. No one insulated anything, and as we go through and work on the house, we bring it up to speed with being more energy efficient. However, we have a very long way to go.
So this article says our Umpqua Community Action Network (also supplies food for the needy) is going to be getting stimulus money to help lower-income families get their homes more energy efficient through weatherization & better appliances. Well, gee - here we are with all single-paned windows & crappy insulation! And we qualify as low income!! So I call the number in the phone book. The lady is on the phone, so I leave a message & my number.
I got a call back about 5 hours later. She has taken over 200 calls since the article appeared in the paper yesterday (I think). She's now at 2-years on the waiting list. AND she's still trying to find contractors who will do a decent job. They won't allow do-it-yourself due to the restrictions the money comes with (this is 'creating jobs' remember).
I'm thinking by the time it's our turn, A) they will have run out of money, B) we will (hopefully) no longer be low-income or C) we actually get our taxes back in the form of windows. I'm okay with B or C.
I'll keep you posted. :) Betcha they wouldn't let me do the bay window in front anyway...
No mention of the sports camp (yet). So I putz around in case something else has happened, and after the dismal job opportunities (we always check that), I notice something about stimulus help with weatherization for your house.
Our house was built in the 50's at a time when energy was very cheap. No one insulated anything, and as we go through and work on the house, we bring it up to speed with being more energy efficient. However, we have a very long way to go.
So this article says our Umpqua Community Action Network (also supplies food for the needy) is going to be getting stimulus money to help lower-income families get their homes more energy efficient through weatherization & better appliances. Well, gee - here we are with all single-paned windows & crappy insulation! And we qualify as low income!! So I call the number in the phone book. The lady is on the phone, so I leave a message & my number.
I got a call back about 5 hours later. She has taken over 200 calls since the article appeared in the paper yesterday (I think). She's now at 2-years on the waiting list. AND she's still trying to find contractors who will do a decent job. They won't allow do-it-yourself due to the restrictions the money comes with (this is 'creating jobs' remember).
I'm thinking by the time it's our turn, A) they will have run out of money, B) we will (hopefully) no longer be low-income or C) we actually get our taxes back in the form of windows. I'm okay with B or C.
I'll keep you posted. :) Betcha they wouldn't let me do the bay window in front anyway...
6 comments:
umkay, typical poorly executed government program.
sounds like you should apply for stimulus money to become a qualified contractor.
If I had ANY skills in that stuff... Lee has a head start on the plumbing aspect - coming from a family of plumbers. But that's not the right kind of contracting :/ (except maybe replacing toilets with the ones that use less water?)
I'm pretty sure it's a couple of years to do the apprenticeship before you can become the contractor & get your certifications.
bummer. well, you could run for office. apparently, the requirements are pretty loose. and if you can do a better job we all win. and if you can't, due to circumstances beyond your control, at least you'd be honest and uncorruptable. might even help with that low income thing. there see how easy that was? tina for president. ;->
okay, maybe start with city council.
Just a slight hiccup in your plan.
I have a Canadian birth certificate.
:P
tina for vice president? ;->
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