Yavapai supervisors set $40,000 for Meals on Wheels, ask staff for detailed data on unmet need

YAVAPAI COUNTY, Ariz. — The Yavapai County Board of Supervisors on May 20 directed staff to prepare distribution of $40,000 to local Meals on Wheels providers and to assemble more detailed data on demand and unpaid meals to inform next year’s budget.

Board members heard a presentation from Brandon Baxter of the Northern Arizona Council of Governments (NACOG) outlining how congregate and home‑delivered meal programs work, the programs’ eligibility and food‑safety requirements, and the scope of unreimbursed meals NACOG providers are currently serving.

Baxter, NACOG’s presenter, told the board that home‑delivered and congregate meals meet “dietary guidelines for aging Americans” and that for many recipients “this meal becomes incredibly important to maintaining individuals that are disabled and aging within our communities in a safe manner.” He described wellness checks performed by delivery drivers and said those checks have led staff to call 911 for clients experiencing medical emergencies.

The presentation included fiscal details for the current year (FY25): NACOG set a maximum reimbursement ceiling of $273,816 for Yavapai County congregate meals and $506,100 for home‑delivered meals. Baxter reported that individual providers are serving meals beyond their contract ceilings. Using a nine‑month invoicing projection, he estimated unpaid, unreimbursed meal costs this fiscal year at roughly $37,000 for Chino Valley, $162,000 for Prescott Meals on Wheels, $6,000 for Sedona, $127,000 for Verde Valley Senior Center and $30,000 for Yarnell.

Baxter cautioned that state and federal funding streams are uncertain. He said NACOG’s Social Service Block Grant (SSBG) funds — which he said provide $120,543 of the home‑delivered meals budget and account for about 20% of NACOG’s aging program funds — are being discussed for elimination at the federal level. "Any cut of that magnitude forces reductions in services and staff,” he said, and noted NACOG has already reduced staff as budgets tightened.

Supervisors discussed two short‑term distribution approaches: prorating available money using NACOG’s overservice data, or giving an equal share to each provider (excluding Yarnell, which the board had previously funded separately). Several supervisors emphasized the limits of the $40,000 allocation and the need for better data before making a longer‑term policy choice. One board member described the money as a “band aid” but said it would still help centers cover unpaid, already‑served meals.

Chair Mallory summarized the consensus direction: staff should prepare an agenda item after July 1 to distribute $10,000 each to the four remaining Meals on Wheels providers and should also develop a request for information (RFI) for the FY2027 budget cycle. The RFI should collect provider‑level data including the number of unincorporated versus municipal clients served, wait‑list counts, other funding sources, and the percentage and dollar value of unreimbursed meals. Baxter said he would review the RFI draft and that NACOG staff would assist in refining the data request.

The meeting closed with a formal motion to adjourn that passed unanimously.

What the board did not do: the board did not adopt any ordinance, award contracts, or change NACOG contract ceilings during the meeting. The action taken was direction to staff to (a) allocate the budgeted $40,000 as described and (b) collect more comprehensive provider data for future funding decisions.