PERU, Maine — Hometown Energy owner Ike Libby said Monday night that Americans have sent his company more than $100,000 since it was mentioned Saturday in a front-page article in the The New York Times on Mainers struggling to heat their homes this winter.
He said he was too busy answering the phone at his business at 90 Weld St. in Dixfield to tally the amount of donations given to pay for heating fuel deliveries to the needy, especially the elderly.
“I don’t care for government,” he said, because of recent cuts in heating assistance. “But I tell you, after this I’m proud to be an American.”
The New York Times article featured Robert and Wilma Hartford of Peru, who are disabled, living on $1,200 a month and struggling to pay for oil to heat their home.
On Sunday, representatives from Upright Frameworks in Wilton, Energy Circle Pro in Freeport and Complete Home Evaluation Services of Brunswick visited the Hartfords’ house to assess its energy efficiency.
Josh Wojcik, who runs Upright Frameworks, said he knew the core of the heating problem was heating efficiency so he and project manager Kevin Casey offered their services to fix the Hartfords’ house.
Wojick, who said he is passionate about decreasing the nation’s dependency on oil, said making homes in Maine efficient is an easy economic solution.
Maine has approximately half a million homes and with simple and inexpensive measures the state could cut its need for oil by 25 to 35 percent, he said.
He said if the state invested more into programs such as Efficiency Maine, not only would homeowners see more money in their pocketbooks, but the state’s economy would also benefit.
“Dollars in equals dollars out,” Wojick said.
He said the math made sense.
“With a 25 to 35 percent cut in home heating costs, the state would see approximately $300 million left in state instead of going out of state to oil companies,” he said. “It also creates jobs.”
Wojick and Peter Troast, CEO of Energy Circle Pro, said they have been frustrated with the lack of response when talking with state and federal representatives about the issue.
“The housing stock in Maine is in such poor condition,” Wojick said. “We keep throwing Band-Aids on it instead of solving the root of the problem.”
DeWitt Kimball of Complete Home Evaluation Services said the current administration is cutting key programs that help those most in need.
“The Maine State Housing Authority is under attack,” Kimball said.
With recent cuts to programs such as Low Income Home Energy Assistance and MSHA many residents, including the elderly, are being left out in the cold.
Kimball believes Maine is behind other states in home efficiency and said the government needs to step up to the plate.
“The people that are struggling and trying their best are being forgotten,” Kimball said.
Wojick agreed, saying it was time the state took a common sense approach to the problem.
“A lot of our state is elderly and they can’t go out and cut wood or man the wood stove,” he said. “Are we just going to let our aging population freeze?”
Libby agreed with the group.
“I think heating programs are just a way to subsidize high oil prices,” he said.
Kimball said the donations to Hometown Energy to help pay for heating oil is an awe inspiring movement. He said by winterizing area homes that money could last a lot longer.
Air leakage is more than half the heat loss homeowners experience, he said.
The Hartfords’ house is one of the worst cases Kimball said he has seen, with a loss of three and half of the home’s air volume per hour.
“Normal and healthy air loss in a home should only be one third of its air volume per hour,” he said. “I’ve done hundreds of these and this one is way above the normal.”
All three men said simple steps could be taken by homeowners to fix the problem.
DeWitt suggested feeling for air loss around windows and doors and said spider webs and cobwebs are key indicators of air loss.
He also said 20 to 30 percent of heat loss can be found in attics and through wires.
DeWitt suggested using a can of spray foam to hit areas in the attic where wires are threaded through the walls and ceilings.
He also suggested using pieces of insulation and removable caulking to seal bulkhead doors during the winter.
“There are many things that can be done without calling a professional,” he said.
Kimball said people can throw money into programs to buy oil for residents but that cost will never decrease without home efficiency measures.
“It’s like a hole in the bucket,” he said.
To see more from the Sun Journal visit sunjournal.com
Ike is a class act.
What a screwed up “story” this is. Absolutely no facts; it’s more like a hate editorial against the LePage administration.
I wanted to read some solid statistics. It could have been a great story, including what churches are doing to provide funds for heating oil, plus why we’re in this mess because of years of domination of left-wing nuts who won’t allow oil drilling in America or exploration in the Gulf of Maine.
This reporter should be replaced.
it is brining in the help money. you are so selfish
You have an alternative opinion and it is called “hate” .
Relative to real American values: ” This reporter should be replaced.”
So, okay while I support people’s right to be grumpy
if this, and no solutions is what you support, vote GOTea.
You deserve each other.
Have nice day.
If only you had been able to restrain yourself from using “left-wing nuts.” I’m sure I’m one, but I’ve yet to meet any like me. The story was indeed a mystery.
So, let’s see. You’d rather chance a big oil spill in the Gulf of Maine which would completely ruin the already-collapsed fisheries than fix up people’s homes so we can afford to heat our homes properly?
D’s and R’s are virtually all culpable in allowing filthy industries to poison our waters and destroy our natural resources without our having a say.
We need to keep informed and to demand that We, the People, make the decisions that affect our lives.
What a crock of crap you write. Here are some facts you can use so that you don’t appear quite so uneducated about the things you write. Quit making up your own “facts” and read a little. Sheesh, what a bobble head for Fox.
http://headwaterseconomics.org/wphw/wp-content/uploads/RigCounts.pdf
$1200 a month? I wish. I’d have to get a raise.
$1200 a month comes out to only $6.92 per hour based on a 40-hour work week. That is well below minimum wage.
The only work I’ve found is part time. work 4 hours a day 5 days a week. Something is better than nothing.
selfish there are people getting less then that like 699.oo a month try that
Wasnt being selfish. I was saying I’d need a raise to get to 1200 a month.
Can you say anything other than “selfish”? That is all you seem to have posted on here. Can’t say you are anymore of a ray of sunshine than those that you accuse of being selfish.
well try sitting in a house trying to heat it with a income of 699 dollars trying to pay other bills like lights phone taxes sewer do you want to freeze to death
You’re in a tough situation. You should have planned better.
….
oleyane, I’m not naive. I’m well aware that life deals not very good hands to some folk. I don’t need you to tell me that planning is crap. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn’t I’m willing to guess that planning most often works out favorably. When it doesn’t we have safety nets to lend a hand.
That is a tough situation, but that is no one else’s fault. It doesn’t make anyone selfish simply because they have more. It is selfish to believe that everyone else should feel bad because of your situation.
If you were really that worried, you could probably save $30 bucks a month by getting rid of internet service.
i did plan i did try to work at it you are very selfish
Several welfare programs available for people who have only that much. Free cell phone with 250 minutes a month, food stamps, rent assistance, etc. But for those just above the “poverty” line, there isn’t much.
i get all that only get 699 a month even that i struggle . face disconnections cmp was disconnected for two weeks last late spring had no hot water water works of furnace . i have bad skin problems on my legs bad for that
So now we are the object of pity in the eyes of the city folk in New York? Since when did we need handouts from another state? We can’t still take care of our own? This may help keep a few people in Maine warmer this winter, but it is an insult to the rest of us.
you are so selfish
Selfish? Really? Just because I believe that we should take care of our own here in Maine? I am in the firewood business and have given as much wood to the needy as I have sold this year. Not a very good idea if I intend to show a profit, but I sleep better at night knowing that I am trying to help.
——————————
Far too many Mainers like to be pitied. It’s a perverse mindset. Unfortunately, The New York Times reporter and many readers think of Maine the way people in Maine think of New York — that is, Maine is all LL Bean, and coastline, and lobsters, and quaint — New York has an ENTIRE REST OF A STATE, and is not solely NYC and environs.
Believe me – way upstate New York is tougher than anyone could conceive here, in part, because there are even more restrictions, so it’s even harder to fend for yourself.
Pssst — don’t ruin the Maine fantasy for all those who “have summered here for generations.”
“The housing stock in Maine is in such poor condition,” Wojick said. “We
keep throwing Band-Aids on it instead of solving the root of the
problem.”
Such is true. However, many homeowners in Maine really don’t have the money up front to pay for the necessary modifications to make their homes more energy efficient. Let’s face it: we’ve all been told that Maine’s housing stock is pretty old. That’s part of the reason why homes are somewhat cheap for most parts of the state. Another fact we have to face is that Maine wages are also rather low. Many homeowners are just surviving paycheck to paycheck. Then you couple the problem with older, retired homeowners who are living on a fixed income and you do really have a time bomb in the making.
When income tax comes in, I’m planning on re-insulating the house and getting someone to come in and put blown insulation in the ceiling. I’ve gone through close to 200 gallons so far this year and I’m tired of it. Might be getting a pellet stove as well if I can find one for a decent price.
Make sure to have your house properly airsealed prior to insulating, especially before the blown in up in the ceiling. $20 worth of caulk and spray foam insulation in a can will save you hundreds. Good luck!
Good to know. Thanks for the heads up. I’ll look into it and put the plans together. Thanks again.
if you would have done your income tax withholdings correctly, you would have had the money last fall to do these improvements instead of providing government an interest free loan that you are now waiting for….it’s YOUR money, it’s YOUR life, YOUR labor, why do you hand it over to the middle man that is government and then wait for them to give you back the portion that they have so benevolently allowed you to retain?
so true.
And yet the spendthrifts on the school boards will raise property taxes every year because they think new uniforms for the cheerleaders are far more important than the elderly being able to spend their money on house repairs.
The conditions that many Mainers face is the result of Democratic and Liberal policies that have been set upon the citizens of Maine over the past 35 years. The Democrats require a constituency that is dependent on government handouts and therefore votes. If times were good here in Maine there would be no need for Democrats or Liberals. In other words Dems and Libs need people to be destitute and dependent ergo the conditions in Maine today.
If you really think one party is to blame over the other, I have a bridge to sell you. Wake up, it doesn’t matter if you are a republican or democrat, conservative or liberal – our government officials don’t work for us, the people. They work for whatever companies will line their pockets and keep them in their positions.
Your comments are so exceedingly tiresome. Conditions in Maine are not different than elsewhere.
Shut Fox off.
Wow, blaming one political party for poor old people who live in poor old houses. A new low.
I blame the liberal schools for allowing you to be able to string 2 words together that are grammatically correct. I blame the Republicans and Fox for keeping you so daft that your post makes no sense at all. Blame the victims is what it is called.
Since salaries are very low in Maine, people don’t accrue top tier social security benefits for their respective professions. That makes life very tough for disabled people living on social security benefits or elderly retired people with no other source of income.
Americans have big hearts. What a nice story. I’ll bet the fuel oil speculators just love it. We would be better off spending the money on home insulation, new windows and new doors.
Republican and conservatives donate more money than Dems and Libs; why is that?
Can I see some statistics backing this claim up? And their income to donation ratio?
Is this a quiz? My guess is cause the repubs
and cons are donating everyone else’s money?
To whom do they donate?
If they are like their standard-bearer Romney, about 1/2 the donations go to the Mormons.
As many respondents have noted, Maine has a housing – heating problem that especially affects the poor and the elderly, a major part of Maine’s population. Many homes need to be retrofited to become energy efficient and some need to be replaced. LIHEAP might keep some from freezing but it is only putting a bandaid on the problem.
There is a whole industry waiting to happen in fixing this problem that will require work for those in the building trades and funding from many sources. It is estimated that Mainers spend about one billion dollars for every one dollar on the price of oil (gas,oil, etc.). Much of that is on heating oil. We are near $4.00 a gallon,or $4 billion in total. At what price does life in Maine become unsustainable? When do we as a state address and start to solve the problem ?
“‘The Maine State Housing Authority is under attack,’ Kimball said.”
“With recent cuts to programs such as Low Income Home Energy Assistance and MSHA many residents, including the elderly, are being left out in the cold.”
Great investigative reporting [/sarcasm]. No mention of the half million or so that Maine State housing Authority skims off the top of LIHEAP just to write the checks. Remember that MSHA doesn’t buy, store, or deliver any oil. They just write the checks to pay the oil dealers who actually do all the work.
Time for a complete forensic audit of MSHA.
http://www.energycircle.com/blog/2012/02/05/helping-hartfords-and-finding-path-more-energy-efficient-homes
For a single with no dependents, $9.62/hr would have to be made working 40/hrs a week to ensure you take home $1200 a month after taxes. (I used an online tax calculator set with Maine tax rates to get this figure so I’m not 100% sure how accurate it is but I’m guessing it’s close.) There are lots of people who would need to get a raise to get to that figure.
1200 for two people isn’t a single with no dependents…but I see what your saying
If we are going to help folks improve the energy efficiency of their home, and provide money for them to do that, DO NOT let the greedy State Government or the greedy banks distribute the money. They will take half the money for themselves and make the rules so tough that the average person who needs the money will not qualify. I do not have an answer as to how to get the money to the folks who count, but the bureaucrats at the State level will keep most of it for themselves, and the banks will charge interest to use OUR money. We need to have accountability.
Willard, you are more right than you know and far closer to the truth than any number of State official’s and banker’s would like you to be.
Well, it would help if when you do scrap together money to have such things as torm windows and doors replaced, and don’t cheap-end to do it, the guys hired actually do the job and don’t, as happened here, make things worse.
But but but – LePage and the GOP says that energy conservation doesn’t work.
never mind
yessah
yes massah…back to work!
It’s refreshing to see $100,000 spent on heating oil for the poor that Dale McCormick and her cadre of parasites didn’t get to skim first.
Yet another angry Lib… unable to post a post a positive remark without throwing someone or something under the bus. How do you stay so angry? Many of us who read and post here have been “victims” at some point or another – mostly self induced victims but I’ll save that for another day – but occasionally we attempt to post something positive. People such as yourself I’m afraid choose to stay angry – you just like to complain.
I know what stokes angry Libs,……… ignorant Wingers who think they are in control of facts but have no clue what goes on in the world. These wingers are spoon fed some sort of pablum and never bother to see if it squares with reality. (Not that facts matter to them.)
I wish that what programs there are, and any future ones, would also address the same issues in mobile homes. Many of us live in them because that is what we can afford and as far as I know, there is no help for mobile home dwellers to address energy issues. Not everyone can afford to replace older mobiles with newer ones or with stick built homes.
Call Community Action for weatherization. They can do things like put insulation underneath the mobile home. I know someone that they did it for.
I have been trying all winter to get assistance from LHEAP (WHCA) due to the fact that I am currently disabled. Last year I didn’t need the help so didn’t ask so that people who really needed it would get it. WHCA has continually denied me and have asked me over and over to bring in paperwork which they know I can’t obtain. I have given them just about everything possible yet they still deny me. I have 2 children under the age of 18 (they are who I am worried about). I can wrap up in blankets to keep warm but it’s not ok for them. I am happy to see Americans looking out for each other, it gives me hope.
This is why I think it is better to give the money directly to the local oil companies. No one should have to fill out numerous forms, nor prove every cent of their lives. If someone needs oil, they need oil, period.
It is too bad that The New York Times article was written as it was. It perpetuates the Maine fantasy — LL Bean references and all. Also, focusing on Maine as having older housing or any of the rest of that, is ridiculous. There are plenty of chicken coops-turned-apartments in the Hudson Valley. Not everywhere is New York City. For that matter? Plenty of freezing people in NYC – it’s just not as ‘romantic’.
What heating oil company do you use?
first comment “must be approved by moderator” yet i can type directly right now? huh.
Obama stood firm in cutting LiHeap funds to Maine. What President of the U.S. would cut the vital funds needed to heat our homes in Maine winters? Our state is one of the coldest in the nation.
Maine’s low-income senior citizens and families are already struggling with high energy costs. No one should ever be forced to choose between heating their homes and other vital necessities such as food and medication. If that had been a Republican President issuing LiHeap funds to be cut in half from last year….there would be no end to the headlines and a constant drumbeat of scorn heaped upon the head of a Republican president.
But the darling of the Democrats goes unscathed……not even a mention of the cruelty imposed on low-income Mainers in the effort to stay warm.
He had promissed the money to ACORN ! Wait until the increases in medicare contributions take affect in 2013, 2014. People on medicare will see increases up to 300% plus. This just happens to go into law after the next presidential election.
Where do you get your figures? The lies put out by the Repubs? The same ones who enacted a drug benefit plan that not only was never paid for (it was all added to the debt), but the law they passed forbids the government from trying to get a volume discount from the drug companies. Are these people the source of your numbers?
Thought so.
Edit: Since you say you have read it, why don’t you just point out the pages where it says it rates will go up 300%. You are so full of it.
read the legislation , many pages of sutprises
The money was a victim of the politics played by the Republicans when they insisted on cutting the budget. It was either that or tax a millionaire an extra nickel, and lord knows the Repubs won’t stand for that.
For you to try to blame it on the Dems is like telling a kid he can either give you his bike or you’ll throw both him and the bike off the bridge. Then when you go past him you tell him he is stupid for walking. Try to post some facts and you’ll see how much less you have to say.
http://www.apga.org/i4a/headlines/headlinedetails.cfm?id=850
Didn’t Governor Baldacci create a multi-million dollar program, where energy audits would be done?
Except the whole thing was a sham where no energy audits were done and the money was being sucked up by political cronies? Then, somebody shined a light on it, the money was returned and it was a big misunderstanding.
Yeah. We definitely need another one of those state programs!
To help keep cost down on Oil get a pellet stove this would cut your cost in half. Also in the warmer months save those pennys and do up keep and repairs as we all living in maine is tough. I am very happy people are helping others in this State,Most just want to know when they are getting their next high.The housing market is high in this State because the housing price goes by location and wages a Business gives. Low income then the prices of homes would be low but it is reversed low income high pricing on homes as people are looking to get rich. We are taxed high and we are in the number 5 in the pooriest States. you can make a 100.00 go along ways if you know how to spend money.