Senior center to run Meals on Wheels
Sean HarkinsBy a 5-2 vote, the Alpena County Older Persons Committee voted to have the Alpena Senior Citizens Center run the county Meals on Wheels program in 2010.
The county previously worked with Thunder Bay Transportation Authority to deliver the service. Last month, TBTA said it no longer could be involved due to a loss of state and federal funding, but would honor its contract, which expires at the end of the year.
The committee approved allocating $35,000 in 2009 to the senior center to run the program. The senior center already offers the program in the City of Alpena and Alpena Township.
"The program needs to stay. It's a very vital program in the county and somebody has to run it, whether it be Thunder Bay Transportation, whether it be the senior center, whether it be someone else in the county," committee Chairperson Germaine Stoppa said.
Originally, the senior center's proposal was to offer the program for $32,760. An additional $324 was included for overtime for workers when the program begins. Committee members agreed on $35,000 so any unforeseen expenses could also be covered.
Committee member Brenda Fournier was one of the two to vote against the proposal. She said she agreed with paying the $32,760 and the $324 but no more than that.
Both TBTA and the senior center had made presentations to the committee to run the program in 2010. The committee asked for the presentations after TBTA reported it expected to have a $16,000 shortfall with the program in 2009. That shortfall was remedied after a rate adjustment, and the committee voted to continue using TBTA for the Meals for Wheels program in 2010 - though their bid was higher than the senior center's.
Senior citizens center Executive Director Grace Marshall appealed to the county finance committee, but TBTA ended up removing itself from the discussion after its funding fell through.
Marshall said the program will see a $10,000 funding shortfall because of state funding cuts, but hopes fundraisers and donations will make up the difference.
The committee's recommendation must be given final approval by the county board of commissioners, which meets on Nov. 24.
Sean Harkins can be reached via e-mail at sharkins@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5688.
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audreypapke
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11-05-09 7:08 PM
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It's not for everyone. In the future, I'd like to see people able to cook home-cooked meals for their own relatives. My labor most certainly is not going to be calculated into a plan that will benefit "the most" people, which is the last care on my mind. Efficiency gone awry. I do live by two simple rules: I work in public settings. Also, I take care of my family and insist others take personal and all care of their relatives. de facto
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