Over 1000 applications completed by Tribal Members for CARES Act Utility support payments of $1,000 have now been collected from the Office of Energy Assistance and submitted to Tribal Office Accounting on January 5 for the purpose of researching the delays in crediting the utility accounts of our members.
The research found that in addition to a list of incorrect account numbers, and applications not yet entered, it was discovered that a check mailed to Spectrum for Tribal Member accounts was lost. Tribal Office Accounting spent the week matching Spectrum member account numbers and as of Friday, January 8, a check was mailed to Spectrum with the exception of 23 applications with incorrect account numbers that Spectrum has agreed to correct. This is the only utility vendor reconciled to date.
The Accounts Payable team will now move on methodically to audit and issue correct payments to other utility vendors, one by one.
A list of people who have had their Spectrum accounts credited will be provided to the Tribal Office Receptionist.
An announcement will be made in the Tribal newsletter when each of the other utility companies accounts are reconciled and a check has been mailed. Until then, Tribal members are encouraged to continue to pay their utility bills on time. You will see the credit on your utility statement once the vendor has received the payment.
The Tribal Governing Board wants you to know that we care and are doing our best to help our Tribal members.