Cedar Falls Utilities • 1 Utility Parkway • PO Box 769 • Cedar Falls, IA 50613

Save Energy and Money with Rebates from CFU

Iowa State Football Schedule

Street Lighting Update Eight Sports Channels AddedInformation for Snowbirds

CFU wants to help you save energy and money. We offer home energy consulting at no charge through our House Calls energy audit program. In addition, CFU rebates could help you implement energy saving improvements.

The first step for most customers is to schedule a home energy audit. A CFU staff member will visit your home. We use the data collected during the audit to recommend equipment changes, home improvements and energy conservation practices. You decide which items you’d like to change.

CFU makes it easier to afford some of the changes by providing rebates for energy efficient upgrades. Rebates are available for:• Home heating and cooling

equipment• Improvements to duct work• Insulation and other thermal

envelope improvements• Water heaters• LED light bulbs• Wireless thermostats

Many of the rebates require pre-approval or an equipment sizing from CFU before installation. Visit cfu.net/save-energy for a complete list of rebate programs and amounts.

To ensure the quality of new systems, customers who apply for CFU rebates must use a SAVE-certified contractor to install a heating and cooling (HVAC) system or make duct work improvements.

SAVE-certified contractors have completed a statewide training and certification program. By choosing

a SAVE-certified contractor, you get peace of mind that your investment is delivering the proper amount of heating or cooling. Learn more about the SAVE program at www.cfu.net/SAVE.

To schedule an energy audit, call CFU Energy Services at 266-1761 or email energyservices@cfu.net.

Interested in business energy services? Call Pete Olson, Energy Services Manager, at 268-5355 for more information about programs and rebates available to businesses.

A simple update to the duct work near your furnace (plenum) or improving the air return drop can improve the comfort of your home. CFU offers a 75% rebate (up to $750 for the plenum and $350 for return drops) for these improvements. To learn more, contact CFU Energy Services at 266-1761.

Do you have a room in your home that is cooler than others in the winter?

GET READY FOR WINTER

Cedar Falls Utilities Newsletter • October 2015

IN THIS ISSUE

City Requests Change in Street Light Funding

Snowbirds Can Save Money by Calling CFUDo you leave Iowa for the winter? We offer seasonal rates for your cable and internet services if you are a homeowner and gone from your home for two months or longer. Seasonal rates of just $2 each per month (plus $.62 in cable taxes/fees) apply to temporarily suspend your service.

There are no reconnection fees for either cable or internet service for

homeowners who take advantage of our seasonal rates. CFU can also help you decide how to handle your other utility services, such as electric, gas or water.

To temporarily suspend your service, call 268-5280 within one week of your departure date. Let us know your departure date, forwarding address, a local emergency contact and your

expected date of return. When you plan to come back home, be sure to let us know what day you’ll return so your services are ready for you on the correct day.

Don’t forget to call City Sanitation at 273-8629 to suspend your garbage pick-up and Public Safety at 291-2515 to add your home to their housewatch program.

In September, you may have noticed information in the local news about street lighting costs in Cedar Falls. The Cedar Falls City Council approved a resolution requesting that a street lighting fee be added to utility bills.

While we never like putting a new fee on utility bills, we understand why the City is requesting the change and we want our customers to know what to expect.

Street light costs are currently paid from the City’s general fund, using property tax and/or road use tax revenue. The City pays tax dollars to CFU to install, maintain and provide power to street lights.

Under the proposed plan, tax money will no longer be allocated to pay for street lighting. Instead, residents and businesses would pay a street lighting fee collected through the monthly bill they receive for CFU and City Public Works services.

We understand that the street light proposal is one of many moves aimed at keeping the City’s budget in balance after state tax cuts passed in 2013. In an effort to stimulate new jobs and create a larger tax base, the Iowa

Legislature cut property taxes for owners of industrial, commercial and multi-family residential buildings. While the tax cut keeps more money in property owners’ pockets, it also reduces the City’s revenue by an estimated $11.3 million from fiscal year 2014 – 2023, or $1.1 million per year.

The General Assembly committed State funding to supplement a portion of the city budget shortfall for three years, while the property tax cut is phased in over a decade.

The Cedar Falls City Council and staff members have worked hard to proactively manage the shortfall. A budget task force identified hundreds of money-saving ideas. In the 2014-2015 budget year, the City completed a staff reorganization and implemented other efficiency measures.

In addition, Cedar Falls does not collect a tax that most other large cities count on as a revenue source. Many Iowa cities collect a franchise tax of one to five percent on electric and natural gas bills.

A 3% franchise tax would add up to $4.60 per month to an average Cedar Falls residential electric and gas bill.

If our Board approves the cost shift, households will pay roughly $1.55 per month for street lighting. CFU’s Board of Trustees must now consider the change.

Over the past two years, we have reduced our community’s street lighting costs by an average of $144,000 per year as we transitioned to LED street lights. LEDs use 65% less energy and offer maintenance and capital cost savings. The annual cost for the public street lights now totals approximately $400,000.

We will continue to keep you updated about changes to your CFU bill. Thank you for your support.

James R. Krieg CFU General Manager

Enjoy food, beverages and fun with Panther fans before UNI home football games this fall in the Hy-Vee Panther FanZone.

The Hy-Vee FanZone makes it easy to tailgate. Located just west of the UNI-Dome, you’ll find food and beverages, tables and lawn games for adults and kids. TVs are provided by CFU, so you can catch all the other football action.

All you need to do is bring your family and friends. The FanZone is open for Saturday home games October 17 and 31 and November 7.

You need a ticket to access the FanZone. For every $50 you spend at a Cedar Valley Hy-Vee this fall, you’ll get a FanZone ticket with your receipt.

Tailgate with CFU at UNI Football games:Oct. 17 vs. Western Illinois

Oct. 31 vs. South Dakota

Nov. 7 vs. Indiana State

Visit the Panther FanZone This Fall

Snowbirds Can Save Money by Calling CFU

Pay Your CFU Bill the Easy WayPaperless Billing I Auto Payment I Online Bill Pay

Eight Sports Channels Added to Basic PlusCFU Basic Plus TV customers now have eight new part-time ESPN College Extra channels.

Located on channels 170 - 177, ESPN College Extra brings hundreds of ESPN3 exclusive live college sports events to the TV. Previously, all ESPN3 games were delivered online or through the WatchESPN app on a mobile device or smart TV.

CFU TV customers need a set-top box, EZ HD tuner or cable card to access the ESPN College Extra channels.

ESPN College Extra delivers an extensive portfolio of college sports events year-round including football, basketball, baseball and softball.

ESPN College Extra offers live events from FBS conferences, including the ACC, The American, Big 12, MAC and Sun Belt. In addition, many FCS conferences are included, featuring UNI’s Missouri Valley Conference, Atlantic Sun, Big South, Horizon League, MAAC, MEAC, Pioneer, SoCon, Southland, Summit League, SWAC and WAC.

A weekly ESPN College Extra schedule can be found at: espn.go.com/espncollegeextra/

Tired of keeping track of paper statements or remembering to pay your utility bill? Check out CFU paperless billing, automatic payment and online bill pay.

Customers who sign up for paperless billing will no longer receive a bill in the mail, but instead will be notified by email when a bill is ready and available to be paid.

On the web, you can easily and securely view and print up to 25 months of bills. Plus, by reducing paper waste, you can feel good about helping the environment.

To make the payment process even simpler, CFU encourages customers to sign up for automatic payment from a checking account.

Once you register for automatic payment, your utility bill is securely and automatically deducted from an authorized checking account

on the bill due date. You will no longer have to worry about making payments on time.

Registration for paperless billing and automatic payment is available online in the CFU web service center. To visit the web service center, go to cfu.net and click the “My Utility Account” tab.

CFU customers can also make a utility bill payment online, using an electronic check or credit card. To make a payment, visit cfu.net and click Pay Utility Bill Online.

Facts About Your Water Service

In just a few seconds, you can help your neighbors in need with their heating bills.

Contribute to the Add-A-Dollar program through CFU and help local residents pay their heating costs this winter.

It is easy for CFU customers to donate. Fill out the top area of the monthly statement or use the form online. The online form is available at cfu.net. Click the Customer Service tab to find the Add-A-Dollar information.

No administrative costs are charged, so every dollar donated goes to help needy households.

Last year, 77 households received an average of $248 for a total of $19,100 in assistance. Thanks to all of our customers that continue to donate to this important program.

All Add-A-Dollar contributions are tax deductible and a year-to-date report is included on the lower portion of your monthly statement.

If you would like more information about the program, please call CFU customer service at 268-5280.

Help Cedar Falls Residents in NeedDONATE TO ADD-A-DOLLAR

Water Line: Approximate depth six feet

Curb Stop Turning this valve allows CFU to stop the flow of water from the main water line to your house. Keep the box around the curb stop free of debris, so that it can be accessed quickly if urgent repairs are needed.

Water Main

Water Shut-off Valve Can be used to shut off the water service to your house.

As a property owner, the water line, curb stop and water shut-off valve are your responsbility if repairs are needed.

Water Meter

Did You Know? In Cedar Falls and most other cities, property owners are responsible for the service line that runs from the water main to their homes and businesses. This includes the water service line, the connection at the water main, the shut-off valve near the property line (curb stop) and the shut-off valve inside the building near the meter.

Customer Service 268-5280MON-FRI 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Help Desk (TV & Internet) 268-5221Tech Support: MON-FRI 7:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. SAT-SUN 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Get Cable TV/Internet 268-5283Other Departments 266-1761 Gas Emergency 268-5340Electric or Water Emergency/Outage 268-6999

CONTACT CORNER W W W.C F U. N E T

E-mail: cfu@cfunet.net (general) or customerservice@cfunet.net