Trumbull County commissioners keep senior-center funding at $625,000 while directing staff to proceed with current RFPs

Trumbull County Commissioners on Tuesday agreed to proceed with awarding the current senior-center contracts at $625,000 and to present the resulting recommendations to the board, while continuing to weigh how levy dollars should be used to address a long waiting list for in‑home care.

The decision came after a more than four‑hour special meeting of the county’s senior services advisory group and commissioners in which advisory-board members, senior-center directors and outside providers described competing needs: congregate center programming, transportation and home-delivered services versus in‑home personal care and chore services for homebound residents.

Diane Syskovich Jokovic, the county’s senior levy administrator, told the panel that the agency released a request for proposals in mid‑April and that the amount recommended in the current bid cycle and used in prior cycles was $625,000. “We did release a bid cycle for senior centers in mid‑April,” Syskovich Jokovic said. “That amount was $625,000.”

Why it matters: Commissioners and advisory-board members said the county must balance funds across several programs paid for with levy dollars — including transportation, homemaker/personal care and home-delivered meals — while responding to a reported wait list of about 200 people who need home‑based services.

Discussion highlights

- Need and scale. Several speakers said homebound residents on waiting lists face urgent needs. A representative of a home-delivered meal provider said her agency is serving 122 current clients and has 252 people on its list countywide. Advisory‑board members and providers said the county also faces reductions or uncertainty in other funding streams, including state Title III congregate-meal funding and an ODOT transportation grant.

- Reallocation proposal. The senior advisory board discussed an alternative to the current recommendation: reduce senior-center contract funding from $625,000 to $500,000 and redirect the $125,000 difference to homemaker/personal-care and chore services. Board members noted estimates that in‑home support costs about $9,000 per person per year and that $125,000 might serve roughly 14–15 additional people under that estimate.

- Counterarguments and context. Senior-center directors described daily activity levels and argued centers provide socialization, supportive services and case-work that keep seniors safer and reduce other needs. Several commissioners and advisory members urged caution before cutting center funding, noting centers also receive city or township levies and other local support in some communities. Officials also flagged carryover funds — a balance reported at about $303,100 — and said the county can use carryover to sustain current levels for a limited period.

Buckeye PACE presentation

Representatives from Buckeye PACE (Program of All‑Inclusive Care for the Elderly) described a Medicaid/Medicare waiver model that serves clinically nursing‑facility‑eligible adults, typically age 55 and older, with an interdisciplinary team that delivers in‑home care, clinic services, transportation and other supports. Evan Clark, identified as a center operations manager for Buckeye PACE, summarized the program: “We are a Medicare and Medicaid waiver program…you have to be 55 years and older” to enroll; the program provides personal care, transportation, nursing and some clinic services and can reduce out‑of‑pocket medication and equipment costs for enrolled participants.

Commissioners and staff repeatedly raised legal and fiduciary questions about directing public levy recipients toward a for‑profit provider; advisory members said the county already refers residents to Direction Home (the regional Area Agency on Aging) and other agencies for eligibility screening and that the advisory board could coordinate referrals where appropriate.

Decision and next steps

After discussion the commissioners instructed staff to proceed with the bids at $625,000 — the amount used in recent cycles — rather than reopening the RFP at a lower amount. A motion to proceed with the current RFP awards at $625,000 was made and seconded; Commissioner Bernard explicitly recorded a “yes” on the roll call during the motion sequence. Commissioners also asked staff and the advisory board to keep seeking additional funding, document participation and program hours more consistently and to continue outreach to alternative providers and funders (United Way, foundations and potential state funds) to address the waiting list.

What was not decided

The board did not adopt a formal new policy to reallocate levy funds from senior centers to in‑home services. Commissioners left open additional discussions about the 2‑ to 3‑year budget horizon and whether to seek additional levy funding in the future. No explicit dollar transfers or contract amendments were adopted at the meeting.

Ending note

Officials said they want to avoid immediate cuts that would force centers to close and to use carryover and collaborative approaches to serve the most vulnerable in the near term. Staff were directed to return with formal recommendations and contract awards based on the $625,000 senior‑center allocation and with ongoing analysis of wait‑list impacts and funding options.