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Sandy’s senior services face funding squeeze as grants fall; city tops up budget by $115,000
Summary
Senior services staff warned the committee that grant revenue is down by roughly $100,000, prompting a proposed $115,000 increase from general revenue to sustain Meals on Wheels, transportation and nutrition programs; staff also reported most Meals on Wheels recipients live outside city limits.
City staff told the budget committee the senior services program faces sustainability issues after a drop in grant support. The proposed budget increases general-fund support for senior services by about $115,000 for the 2025–27 biennium to preserve services while staff pursue longer-term solutions.
Staff said the department’s beginning balance fell from roughly $355,000 to $245,000 and that contingency under the proposed budget would be about $13,000 at the end of the biennium, which staff described as a planned drawdown to maintain continuity of services while they develop a sustainability plan. The largest single program expense is Meals on Wheels: staff said the program serves about 78 clients and that roughly 65% of those clients live outside the City of Sandy in the broader service area.
Officials described a two-part revenue shift. First, transportation-related grants were moved administratively to the transit department in the current budget cycle and the senior-services grant line shows a roughly $100,000 decline in expected grant receipts for 2025–27. Second, staff said federal and county grant opportunities have become more limited recently, and that the department will need to seek additional donations, stronger fundraising and possibly third-party partnerships to sustain the programs.
Committee members asked about outsourcing or partnering for meal preparation; staff said facility upgrades now permit more on-site meal preparation and that they will evaluate options including outside providers, nonprofit partnerships and targeted fundraising. Staff recommended a near-term approach focused on protecting current service levels for seniors while developing longer-term options for funding, partnerships and program design.
Why it matters: Senior nutrition and transportation programs are direct human-services supports that city staff and community members called essential. Staff urged the committee to treat this as a near-term funding priority while the department pursues more sustainable revenue and operational models.
