Six towns agree to help reduce Union County senior-nutrition wait list; board authorizes interlocal agreements
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Summary
Six Union County municipalities agreed to fund meals for seniors on the county wait list; commissioners authorized the county manager to execute interlocal agreements and set aside funds to buffer future municipal participation.
County staff reported June 16 that six municipalities — Wingate, Waxhaw, Mineral Springs, Marvin, Unionville, Lake Park, Wesley Chapel and Weddington were in the slide of possible participants; six had confirmed participation to take seniors off the county's wait list and two (Waxhaw and Unionville) were still deciding. The board authorized the county manager to negotiate and execute agreements with the municipalities that commit funds to provide senior-nutrition services.
Deputy County Manager Patrick Nilan told commissioners staff had verified the wait list and that municipal participation would remove about 32 people from the county’s December 2024 wait list of 572; if Waxhaw and Unionville also participate, an additional 22 residents could be covered. Nilan said municipalities' confirmed participation accounted for $41,722 in contributions; if Waxhaw and Unionville join, an additional roughly $32,000 would follow.
The FY2026 budget adopted by the board includes $127,000 to maintain current service levels for senior nutrition and an additional $244,000 proposed to address the wait list. Staff said they planned to reserve roughly $50,000 of the wait-list funds as a buffer to accommodate any later municipal additions and avoid asking towns to provide more funding if more seniors are added to their local lists.
Nilan said current staff capacity would allow the county to add about 110 seniors to routes with existing staff; reclassifying a part-time verification position to full time would increase capacity by roughly 100 more clients, but that reclassification would require funding. Commissioners discussed continuing outreach to towns that had declined or not responded, and staff said municipalities can join during the year.
The board approved a motion authorizing the county manager to negotiate and sign interlocal agreements with the listed municipalities and to exercise renewal or termination options in the county’s discretion; the motion passed on a voice vote.
Ending: Staff will finalize agreements with participating towns and use budgeted funds to reduce the wait list; the county will continue outreach to other towns that expressed interest but have not yet committed.
