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BRANCH COUNTY — The Commission on Aging’s board on Tuesday recommended that the Branch County Commission place on the August ballot a millet update needed to keep the Burnside Senior Center and Meals on Wheels program open.
“Operational millage is necessary and accounts for over 75% of the budget. It’s essential,” said COA Director Amy Duff.
The current millage expires this year. If approved by commissioners, voters would be asked to extend the levy for an additional four years at the current Headley Amendment’s reduced tax rate of 0.4857 mills.
If approved, $868,017 would be raised in 2025. The remainder of the $1.3 million annual budget comes from donations and grants.
In late 2022, the Area Agency on Aging won a bid for a three-year federal grant to provide Meals on Wheels and Congregate Meals in Burnside, with the addition of the Union City Community Center this year.
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In bidding for grants and contracts, COA guaranteed that its millage would cover any cost shortfalls.
In 2023, COA provided 10,914 meals in Burnside with $269,134 in grants and an additional $135,954 in millage funding. This is almost 2.5 times the number requested in the subsidy application.
Nutrition Director Mike Shearing said that in 2023, Meals on Wheels volunteers delivered 33,355 meals to homebound residents age 60 and older in Branch County.
The number of customers of the delivery service increased from 81 companies in January 2023 to 174 companies last month.
Duff said the board considered increasing the original 5-mill levy but decided against it.
Mr. Duff assured the board that no millage increases would be necessary to continue the meal program.
If voters reject the continuation of infant formula in August, Duff said, “We have a balance in the fund. That gives us time to regroup and figure out what we need to do.” “But in the end, we can’t operate without the fund.”
The $125,000 fund balance could last for just over two months at current levels.
The county created the COA in 1970. In 2002, the county used public funds and donations to build the Burnside Center, which provides programs and services for residents age 50 and older.
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The COA board also asked county commissioners to approve a three-year contract renewal for Duff after a brief closed-door meeting evaluation.
— Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com
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