Seneca County Commission on Aging's 2011 year-end report shows the agency provided 100,934 individual meals, made 5,008 one-way trips and did 2,280 hours of homemaker service for the elderly in the area. Director Bryan Glover shared those numbers at board meeting Thursday in Tiffin.
"I was very pleased that even though things are as tight as they are, we could still provide that much service," Glover said.
In spite of a levy fund reduction of nearly $32,000, the commission ended 2011 with a net income of $14,604. At the meeting, board member Jon Wisebaker reported the commission did not receive any levy funds in December, and no more levy funds can be expected.
Article Photos
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Seniors socialize during soup and salad day at Seneca County Commission on Aging. Every Thursday, the Commission on Aging has a soup and salad bar which has proven to be very popular.
"A few years ago (2006), Ohio did away with the tangible personal property tax ... and they were supposed to offset that with money that went to the counties. It was supposed to reduce at a rate of two percent a year through 2018, and then it was to end," Glover said.
The reimbursements to levy holders had been paid each August. As the state's revenue decreased, the Ohio House decided last July to accelerate the reduction schedule. Wording in HB 1 eliminated levy funds for counties whose reimbursement was less than two percent of their yearly total resources. Seneca County was among those counties.
Glover said Seneca County Commission on Aging has been able to remain within about $500 of its budget because it obtains income from a number of different sources, in addition to the levy funds. Revenue comes from rentals, catering, donations, memorials, grants, and program fees.
In a related matter, Glover reminded the board of the need to place the agency's current .3 mil levy before the voters for renewal this November. He said the board must go through a specific process with the county commissioners. If the levy should fail in the fall, it could be placed on the spring ballot in 2013.
"Senior levies have to be renewed every five years, and we are in the last year of that levy," Glover said. "Our last levy took about 79 percent of the vote, so I think we have done the things we need to do to be responsible with the money entrusted to us."
Department of Agriculture is to conduct an inspection of the commission's frozen meal license Feb. 2. Glover said the license is to allow the expansion of the frozen meals program. Marketing the meals in other areas through the Passport Program has the potential to generate more income for Seneca County.
The board approved a budget of $1,032,555 for 2012. Other discussion concerned increases in the home repair program over the last few months and the high expenses for the chore program. Glover said many high-cost projects were done, including the installation of a boiler, water heaters and furnaces.
