February 2018 Vaccine Clinics

https://www.loraincountyhealth.com/files/homepage-resources/attachments/February_2018_calendar.pdf

Press Release

The Board of Sheffield Township Trustees have changed the night and time of their regular monthly meeting to the third Tuesday of the Month beginning January 16, 2018. The meetings will now begin at 7:00 p.m.

Please mark your calendars.

Rumpke Holiday Schedule

President’s Day 2018: Monday, Feb. 19, 2018

No delays.

EXCEPTION: City of Columbus Residents – please refer to the schedule provided by the City of Columbus.

Memorial Day 2018: Monday, May 28, 2018

Service will NOT occur on Monday, May 28.

Service will be delayed one day during the rest of the week (Monday will move to Tuesday; Tuesday will move to Wednesday; Wednesday will move to Thursday; Thursday will move to Friday; Friday will move to Saturday). Rumpke will return to its regular collection schedule the following week.

EXCEPTION: Logan County and Lithopolis Residents – Customers in Logan County and Lithopolis will NOT be affected by the holiday.

Independence Day 2018: Wednesday, July 4, 2018

Customers with service on Monday will NOT be affected by Independence Day.

Service will NOT occur on Tuesday, July 4, and service will be delayed one day for the rest of the week (Tuesday will move to Wednesday; Wednesday will move to Thursday; Thursday will move to Friday; Friday will move to Saturday). Rumpke will return to its regular collection schedule the following week.

EXCEPTION: Logan County and Lithopolis Residents – Customers in Logan County and Lithopolis will NOT be affected by the holiday.

Labor Day 2018: Monday, Sept. 3, 2018

Service will NOT occur on Monday, Sept. 3.

Service will be delayed one day during the rest of the week (Monday will move to Tuesday; Tuesday will move to Wednesday; Wednesday will move to Thursday; Thursday will move to Friday; Friday will move to Saturday). Rumpke will return to its regular collection schedule the following week.

EXCEPTIONS: Logan County and Lithopolis Residents – Customers in Logan County and Lithopolis will NOT be affected by the holiday.

Columbus Day 2018: Monday, Oct. 8, 2018

No delays.

EXCEPTION: City of Columbus Residents – please refer to the schedule provided by the City of Columbus.

Veteran’s Day 2018: Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018

No delays.

Buddy Connect Pilot Program

Friendships are just plain good for you. In fact, social connectedness is strongly linked to a person’s overall health, including risk for chronic diseases, depression, happiness, and suicide. To better connect Lorain County adults ages 55 and over to the community, the Lorain County General Health District is launching the Buddy Connect Pilot Program—for no cost. Starting this fall, two phone calls from a volunteer buddy will help you or a loved one to connect to the community; home visits are also available. Call 440-567-4120 to sign up or to volunteer.

Need Help with your Gas Bill?

FirstEnergy’s (NYSE: FE) Ohio utilities, remind customers having difficulty paying their utility bills that they may be eligible for special financial assistance programs. In Ohio, customer assistance programs include:

• Percentage of Income Payment Plan Plus (PIPP Plus)

The Percentage of Income Payment Plan Plus (PIPP Plus) is an extended payment arrangement that allows Ohio customers meeting program guidelines to pay a percentage of their income or $10.00 per month, whichever is greater, instead of

their usual electricity bill. Eligible customers must have a household income at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level. For more information, call (800) 282-0880.

• Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)

HEAP is a federally funded grant program administered by the State of Ohio Department of Development through a network of local community action agencies. HEAP provides customers help with paying winter heating bills, and occasionally summer cooling bills. For more information, call (800) 633-4766 (Ohio Edison and Toledo Edison customers); or (800) 589-3101 (Illuminating Company customers).

• Salvation Army Emergency Hardship Programs

The Salvation Army organizations across the Ohio utility territories offer emergency assistance programs for those who have suffered a recent financial hardship and need temporary help to pay their electricity bill. Program funding is provided by FirstEnergy’s Ohio employees and customers. The distribution of funds is administered by Salvation Army agencies located throughout Ohio. Contact your local Salvation Army agency to learn more.

• Emergency Assistance

Additional help in paying utility bills may also be available to low-income residents through local county departments of human services, community action agencies, soldier’s relief commissions or veteran’s services offices. Listings for these resources can be found in the blue pages at the front of your local telephone directory, or you can call your county government or visit them online to learn

more.

Ohio residential customers of FirstEnergy’s utilities looking for a convenient way to manage their electric bills also can sign up for the FirstEnergy Installment Plan, which allows customers to make consistent monthly payments to avoid the impact of seasonal highs and lows in their electricity bills. To apply or learn more about programs to help keep electricity bills affordable, visit www.firstenergycorp.com or call Ohio Edison customer service at (800) 633-4766; The Illuminating Company customer service at (800) 589-3101; and Toledo Edison customer service at (800) 447-3333. Ohio Edison, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp., serves more than 1 million customers across 32 Ohio counties. Connect with Ohio Edison at www.ohioedison.com, on Twitter @OhioEdison and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OhioEdisonThe Illuminating Company serves more than 750,000 customers across Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake and Lorain counties. Follow The Illuminating Company on Twitter @IlluminatingCo and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/IlluminatingCo. Toledo Edison serves more than 300,000 customers in northwest Ohio. FollowmToledo Edison on Twitter @ToledoEdison or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ToledoEdison.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation’s largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company’s transmission subsidiaries operate more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Visit FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com and follow on Twitter at @FirstEnergyCorp.

Lorain County Office on Aging

The core services offered by Lorain County Office on Aging are designed to promote the health, well-being, and independence of at-risk aging and disabled adults living throughout Lorain County. Services include:

• Aging & Disability Resource Network (residents 60+ & adults with a disability)
  • Information & Assistance
  • Benefits Screening & Assistance
  • Options Counseling to help aging & disabled adults remain safely in community settings
  • Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)
• Support Services to maintain health, well-being & independence
• Housekeeping Services
• Chore Services
• Home Delivered Meals
• Transportation Assistance to Health Care Appointments
• Food Pantry Services (including home delivery of commodities and fruits & vegetables)
• Senior Dining Program
• RSVP (volunteer opportunities for Lorain County residents 55+ years)
• Senior Years Newspaper
• Health Education Services
• Kinship Care Program

Main Office

320 N. Gateway Blvd., 2nd Floor

Elyria, OH 44035

(440) 326-4800

Services: Benefits Assistance, Support Services, Options Counseling, Information & Assistance, Senior Dining, Food Pantry Services, Chore Services, Housekeeping Services, Transportation to Healthcare Appointments, Kinship Services, RSVP Volunteer Program, Senior Years Newspaper, Health Education Services.

Service Area: Lorain County

http://lcooa.org/index.php/about-us

County-Wide Launch of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

Lorain County Imagination Library promotes kindergarten readiness through participation in a free book program for all children, birth to age five.

Complete information here.

NOPEC Press Release

ELECTRIC CUSTOMERS WILL PAY THE PRICE FOR LEGISLATION TO PROP UP NUCLEAR PLANTS

Latest Attack On Free Market Helps Big Utilities While Hurting Consumers

(Solon, Ohio) – The proposal introduced this week in the Ohio Legislature forcing Northern Ohio electric customers to subsidize uncompetitive and aging nuclear plants will further erode Ohio’s march toward a free market energy economy and cost consumers billions of dollars, said the Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council (NOPEC).

“We oppose this bill,” said Chuck Keiper, executive director of NOPEC. “This is yet another subsidy for big utilities that hit Northern Ohio electric customers in their pocketbooks. People who believe in a free market must defeat this bad idea.”

The legislation would create zero-emission credits for FirstEnergy Corp.’s Perry Nuclear Power Plant and the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station near Toledo. Under the proposal, the credits would be paid for by increasing electric rates for individuals and businesses up to 5 percent of their June 2015 total rate. The rate increase would hit 2 million Northern Ohio electric customers, including over 480,000 NOPEC customers.

NOPEC is a nonprofit council of governments that helps communities negotiate better deals on electricity and natural gas and currently offers energy choice to electric customers in 13 Northern Ohio counties.

“We’re not chipping away at the free market system. We’re taking chunks out of it,” said Ron McVoy, chairman of the NOPEC Board of Directors and a North Kingsville Village councilman. “We’re going to stand up for the free market and for our electric consumers.”

Download the full press release: Electric Customers will Pay the Price for Legislation to Prop Up Nuclear Power Plants

Do Not Knock Registry

Tired of unwanted door-to-door sales? Sign up for the Do Not Knock Registry at blocktheknock.com.

How will a door-to-door solicitor know to not come to my house? Solicitors must request a permit from the Sheffield Township Fiscal Officer, Pat Echko, to be able to sell door-to-door. At that time, Pat will provide them with the Do Not Knock Registry listing the addresses that they are not allowed to go to. You will also receive a Do Not Knock window cling to place near your front door for further notification to solicitors that you’re on the Do Not Knock Registry.

Does the Do Not Knock Registry prevent ALL door-to-door solicitors from coming to my house? No. Non-profit organizations are still allowed to knock on your door.

What should you do if a solicitor still knocks on your door? Ask what organization they’re with. Non-profit organizations like public schools or churches are not regulated by the same rules as for-profit solicitors. Request identification. If you feel the solicitor is in violation of the Do No Knock Registry contact Pat or one of the Trustees to report them. And remember never, ever give anyone a copy of your utility bill.

For more information, go to blocktheknock.com.

THE NORTHEAST OHIO PUBLIC ENERGY COUNCIL (NOPEC)

Our new relationship manager for NOPEC is Pat McNamara. If any of the Sheffield Township residents have a problem with electric or natural gas, please contact Pat McNamara at 440.249.7832, 440.623.3455, or pmcnamara@nopecinfo.org.

If another company solicits electric or gas quotes, ask if they have a solicitor’s permit from Sheffield Township. Pat Echko, Fiscal Officer, issues the permits. She can be reached at 440.324.9462 or pat.echko@sheffieldtownship.com.

The Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council (NOPEC) serves members in over 200 communities within 13 counties in Northeast Ohio. For 15 years, they have saved communities and members more than $260 million in cumulative energy savings.

Benefits for NOPEC Residential Customers:

• Discounted energy rates negotiated exclusively for NOPEC customers
• myNOPEC – A free online resource for NOPEC members
• Interactive Tip House – Energy saving tips for every season

For questions regarding your electric bill or service call Ohio Edison at 800.633.4766. For questions regarding your natural gas bill contact Columbia Gas of Ohio at 800.344.4077.

nopecinfo.org

New Supplier Press Release

NOPEC, NextEra Energy team up to provide low price electricity to 500,000 Ohio customers with added sustainability focus.

(Solon, Ohio) – The Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council (NOPEC) has reached an agreement for NextEra Energy Services Ohio, LLC (NESO) to become the supplier of electricity for a program that currently serves almost 500,000 customers in 13 Northern Ohio counties.

This three-year agreement with NESO will replace the current electricity supply contract for NOPEC customers. In late October, NOPEC’s current supplier announced that it was terminating its contract effective January 2017. The NESO agreement will commence as the current contract ends.

NOPEC’s new agreement with NESO assures that its customers will continue to receive the benefits of NOPEC membership which have resulted in about $250 million of electric cost savings to date. NOPEC considers itself most fortunate to have a new supplier with both an extremely strong financial standing and a nationally-recognized brand in the clean energy space, said Chuck Keiper, executive director of NOPEC.

NOPEC customers should expect to receive their opt-out notices for service under the new program in the next few weeks.

“We’re thrilled to expand our relationship with NESO,” Keiper said. “This is a world-class clean energy company and we know that NOPEC electricity customers will be in very capable hands.”

NESO and NOPEC have entered into a separate agreement under which NESO will provide NOPEC with additional EarthEraTM Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) for 2017 that, when added to the RECs specifically required by applicable Ohio Renewables Portfolio Standard, will equal 50% of NOPEC customers’ energy usage in NOPEC’s footprint. Besides the provision of this increased REC quantity, NOPEC’s EarthEra program participation is also expected to direct over $10 million of NESO’s electricity sales revenues from these 13 Northern Ohio counties to be used for the construction of future NextEra Energy Resources renewable energy projects. This separate agreement will not result in any additional costs to NOPEC customers.

“All of this is good news on the green and renewable energy front,” NOPEC’s Keiper said. “NOPEC knows that it’s fostering a more sustainable future and that $10 million of NESO’s revenue is guaranteed to be spent on building new renewable energy generation.”

NESO’s parent is the largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun in North America. NOPEC and NESO have been working together to purchase Ohio-sourced natural gas and provide low- cost service to over 300,000 customers in 173 member communities since April 2014, and electricity to AEP member communities since August 2015.

Under the NOPEC-NESO retail electric aggregation supply agreement, customers will receive initial pricing from January 2017 through the summer high-demand period that will generate savings comparable to the expiring NOPEC contract savings. After the initial price period, customers will receive competitive variable rates based on favorable wholesale purchase prices than available in the market. There will be zero cancellation or early termination fees.

NOPEC-NESO electricity customers also will have the option to choose a variable rate that will mirror the percentage off utility price savings contained in the expiring contract. That variable rate will be available for as many as 10,000 customers.

“Our focus and goal since our recent contract termination has been to quickly find a supplier so that the power and savings would keep flowing to NOPEC customers as seamlessly as possible,” Keiper said. “But we also knew it was crucial to find a financially strong company that was first-in-class among energy suppliers. With NESO, we have all that, plus the familiarity from our existing successful partnerships. This is a slam-dunk and a great opportunity for our customers.”

“We are pleased to have the opportunity to expand our business relationship with NOPEC and increase our business presence in the Buckeye State. We have been working hard to deliver results for NOPEC over many years now, and the level of confidence that they have expressed in our capabilities is quite humbling,” said Vice President of NESO Mark Palanchian.

For more information on the new NOPEC-NESO electricity agreement, visit NOPEC’s website atwww.nopecinfo.org/electricupdate or call 855-667-3201 (855-NOPEC01).

About the Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council: The Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council (NOPEC) is the largest public retail aggregation in the United States. Our members are communities (residential and small businesses) throughout Northeast Ohio. Currently, we serve more than 200 communities in 13 counties. For 15 years we have saved our communities and members more than a quarter of a billion dollars in cumulative electric savings and have provided more than $16 million in NOPEC community energy efficiency grants. Our flagship product, myNOPEC, is an online tool designed to help our members to understand that they have the power to control how much energy they use through rebates, energy saving tips and products, and technologies offered through our online store. For more information about NOPEC or how to become a member of myNOPEC, visit us at nopecinfo.org.

About NextEra Energy Ohio, LLC.: NextEra Energy Ohio, LLC is the Ohio retail affiliate of NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE). NEE is a leading clean energy company with consolidated revenues of approximately $17.5 billion, and approximately 14,300 employees in 27 states and Canada as of year-end 2015, as well as approximately 45,000megawatts of generating capacity, which includes megawatts associated with noncontrolling interests related to NextEra Energy Partners, LP (NYSE: NEP), as of April 2016. For more information about NextEra Energy companies, visit these websites: NextEraEnergy.com, FPL.com, NextEraEnergyResources.com.

FirstEnergy & NOPEC

FirstEnergy Solutions (FES) has recently terminated its agreement with Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council (NOPEC) for the energy aggregation program serving your community. The termination is effective in January 2017.

Both FES and NOPEC have separately reached out to you to provide notice of this termination and to supply you with suggested Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to assist you in communicating with your community members. Toward the mutual goal of reducing customer confusion, NOPEC and FES have conferred and developed a set of jointly approved FAQs: Final Joint NOPEC-FES FAQs.pdf .

We ask that you please use this revised FAQ and replace any prior version or suggested customer communication you may have previously received from either FES or NOPEC.