San Juan County votes to withdraw from Title III senior services for one-year trial

San Juan County commissioners voted to withdraw from the Title III non-metro senior services program for fiscal year 2026 as a one-year trial, county staff told the board. County staff said ongoing reductions in Title III funding — cited at $81,811 for FY26 — and time-consuming reporting requirements drove the request to withdraw. “Now let me be clear. When we are bringing this request to you, we are not looking to cut back services. In fact, we're looking to enhance services,” a county staff member said, explaining the county planned to reallocate salary savings and restructure vacancies to preserve and expand programming. Why it matters: the Title III program provides funding for meals and transportation for seniors and carries compliance obligations tied to the Older Americans Act. County staff and a program director described heavy administrative burdens: one staff member said the program required approximately 800 hours of paperwork in the prior fiscal year and that a single in-home assessment could require two to three hours plus travel time. County staff described proposed uses of the reallocated funds to expand activities beyond meals and transportation, listing outings such as state fair trips, conferences on aging, hiking and other social opportunities aimed at improving seniors’ physical and mental well-being. Staff emphasized they would try the change for one year and could reapply for Title III funding when the application cycle reopens. Commissioners asked about operational impacts and coordination with partner entities; staff said partners in Aztec, Bloomfield and Farmington were notified of the county’s intent. Staff also described problems arising when neighboring centers closed (Shiprock Senior Center) without communicating expected increases in participants. After discussion, a commissioner moved and another seconded the motion to withdraw from Title III for FY26; the motion passed by voice vote. The withdrawal is described as a one-year test; staff said they would monitor service levels and could reenter the program in future application cycles if necessary.