By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Wood County voters are likely to see a ballot issue for senior citizen services in November of 2021.
The Wood County Committee on Aging Board agreed Wednesday to send a letter to the county commissioners asking their approval to put a levy on the ballot. The current 0.7-mill levy for the organization generates about $2.24 million a year.
That money makes up 67% of the operating budget, according to Denise Niese, executive director of the Wood County Committee on Aging. That funding runs out at the end of 2021.
“So it’s essential we do go on the ballot in November of 2021,” she said.
Niese said she is working with the Wood County Auditor’s Office to determine if a renewal or replacement levy will be needed.
The Wood County Committee on Aging will be facing some additional expenses next year, Niese explained to the board.
While CARES Act funding has helped pay some of the necessary COVID expenses at local senior centers, that funding isn’t expected to continue.
“I don’t see any additional federal dollars coming down,” Niese said.
And while Niese is thrilled with the opening of the new Wood County Senior Center in Bowling Green next year, she knows it will come with new expenses. Unlike the current senior center building, which is owned by the city of Bowling Green, the new facility will be the responsibility of the Wood County Committee on Aging. So expenses such as elevator maintenance, HVAC and plumbing repairs, plus snow removal and lawn maintenance will be solely up to the WCCOA.
The services of the Wood County Committee on Aging are also in growing demand.
There are eight senior center buildings throughout the county, plus the production kitchen that provides meals for many seniors.
In 2019, a total of 71,089 congregate meals were reported served throughout the county to more than 1,150 unduplicated participants. These meals provide not only a hot, nutritious lunch but socialization for the participants in addition to other programs and services offered at the local senior centers.
A total of 133,905 home delivered meals were delivered in 2019. This service also provides a hot, well-balanced meal to Wood County’s homebound, older frail population. It also serves as a daily safety check for the individuals in this program.
Also in 2019, senior centers throughout the county offered programs that enabled 2,949 unduplicated participants to learn, connect with others and engage in meaningful opportunities. The programming reaches across several generations of older adults ranging from 50 years of age to over 100.
The Wood County Committee on Aging also provided 1,133 round trip medical transports, as well as 132 one-way medical transports in 2019.
In other business on Wednesday, the Wood County Committee on Aging announced the results of the board election – with Roger Anderson, Sue Hess, Tom Milbrodt and George Stossel returning to the board. New board members will be Janet DeLong, Jim Miles and Tim McCarthy.
