Logan County Board hears needs for funding senior services

 

[July 15, 2019] 

At the Logan County Board Workshop on Thursday, July 11, the board heard requests from representatives of Community Action Partnership of Central Illinois, the Oasis Senior Center and SHOWBUS for funding from the senior citizens tax fund.

CAPCIL Transit’s Chief Operating Officer Ryan Komnick said they would like to receive the senior tax referendum money, and if the board decides to restructure the money CAPCIL wants to be involved with that. Komnick said they serve many seniors and they can bring a huge asset to the senior population in Logan County. The money goes a long way in helping the seniors in the county.

CAPCIL Executive Director Alison Rumler-Gomez said CAPCIL is as interested in supporting the other agencies as the board is. Rumler-Gomez had a chance to work with Oasis Senior Center Executive Director Nancy Cunningham at Community Action and Cunningham exceeded their expectations before moving on to her role with the Oasis.

Since both Oasis and SHOWBUS bring a valuable piece, Rumler-Gomez said she does not want to fight over funding but does want to make people aware of how many senior services CAPCIL offers to the county.

CAPCIL served 566 unduplicated seniors since January 2018. Rumler-Gomez said they offered 51,872 services to seniors. These programs and services include Energy (Utility) Assistance, Hand-Up Project and Coaching, home delivered meals, congregate meals, food pantry cooperative, senior transportation and senior volunteer programs.

Rumler-Gomez said the other organizations are very worthy and would be interested in knowing the methods for breaking down the funds. Rumler-Gomez is not aware of how many services the Oasis and SHOWBUS delivers, but said CAPCIL would like to participate in process of the distribution of funding.

Oasis Senior Center Executive Director Nancy Cunningham said the Oasis offers more than BINGO and cards, and has become more of a social service agency since moving to their building on Woodlawn. The Oasis receives no federal or state grants and receives only $7,189 for operating dollars besides what the county gives.

To pay the bills, 2.8 staff and provide the services they do, Cunningham said the cost is $108,000. The Oasis receives $42,000 in funding and Cunningham said everything else is raised by volunteers through fundraising, donations and memorials.

One service the Oasis offers is Medicare Open Enrollment appointments. Cunningham said they did 249 Medicare Part D enrollments and helped one person who was paying over $10,000 for medicine to reduce the amount $3,000. With another, volunteers were able to help a man get Medicare reinstated.

The Oasis does critical work with seniors such as wellness checks and meals on wheels. Cunningham said they are not competing for new dollars or give up the dollars they already receive, but wants to work out a solution.

Board member Dave Blankenship asked about the relationship between SHOWBUS and the Oasis and what kind of service SHOWBUS provides for the seniors at the Oasis.

Cunningham said the Oasis calls SHOWBUS for rides but has noticed the Oasis has participants that use the bus and some people need more door to door service than what is provided by SHOWBUS. Even if there is a bus stop in some areas, some seniors may not be able to get to it.

Laura Dick of SHOWBUS said they can provide door to door service if someone calls and asks for it. Dick said she has no desire to compete with the others’ services. Their focus is transportation, which helps people get to services where they can receive help.

Dick wants to look for the money they can find to bring down matching funds for the Downstate Operating Assistance Program.

SHOWBUS has good ridership, but Dick said right now they mainly do a deviated fixed route. SHOWBUS will go outside the city as they are asked, but they have not been able to push that service because Dick said they need to find match money to decrease the DOAP money.

The Downstate Operating Assistance Program funding is just over $680,000. Dick said a 35 percent match is needed and it is up to the county to decide how much, and that it is significant to grow the system.

Board member Chuck Ruben said the Oasis, CAPCIL and Rural Health used to share the senior tax funding until Rural Health ceased operations in 2015. Now the $8,800 a year Rural Health used to receive is divided evenly between the Oasis and CAPCIL.

This past year, Ruben said the CAPCIL received $32,000 and the Oasis received a little over $36,000.

Rumler-Gomez asked the board’s vice chairman Scott Schaffenacker what happens next procedurally and whether the agencies need to talk about the funding between themselves, then present it to the finance committee or the board.

Schaffenacker said it could be an agenda item for the finance committee.

Ruben said items like the senior citizens’ tax are usually put in the budget at the previous year’s levels. Any requests could be discussed at next month’s finance meeting and if needed the agencies could come forward at the special finance meeting or to the full board.

[Angela Reiners]