Payson council reviews annual funding for senior center, humane society and brush pit; court agreement shows small decrease

Payson town staff and leaders of three nonprofit partners briefed the Common Council on May 6 about annual agreements that fund the senior center, the Humane Society and a regional brush pit, and council staff said a separate consolidated court agreement will cost the town less next year.

The presentations explained why the town contributes to those organizations and described the financial requests. Town staff said the senior center’s contract request is unchanged at $135,000; the Humane Society asked for an increase that staff described as $10,000 above the current contract; and the brush pit asked for a roughly 10% increase to its town subsidy, from $7,000 to $7,700. Town staff also told council the consolidated court agreement will decrease next year by about $8,126 annually.

The requests, staff said, are intended to support services the town would otherwise have to provide directly. “Annually, the town has contributed to three nonprofits that have been prequalified in accordance with council’s adopted ordinances,” town staff said during the meeting, describing the funding process and quarterly financial reporting requirements the groups must meet. Those quarterly reports are part of the funding policy the town enforces, staff said.

Brush pit operators described an increase in use and rising costs. Kevin McCully of the Fire Department noted the pits are the remaining element of an earlier regional fuels mitigation project and said last season the facility collected “over 4,600,000 pounds of biofuel” and that about 56% of the material came from Payson residents. Frank Aspelsol, manager of the Blattner Brush Pit, described operational challenges — equipment damage from metal and trash dumped in piles — and said the operator now uses cameras and metal detectors and needs funds for fuel and repairs. “We’re asking for a 10% increase,” McCully said on the brush pit’s behalf, adding that the operator’s cost of operation rose roughly that much year to year.

Humane Society leaders presented program demand and finance details. Mark Van Erne, vice chairman of the Humane Society board, told council the organization has experienced rising caseloads and higher fixed costs and reported an operating loss of about $36,000 in the most recent quarter. “We’re asking for an increase of $10,000,” Van Erne said. Humane Society staff described rising calls for service, increases in bites and dog-at-large complaints and also outlined the nonprofit’s efforts to raise private funds and run a resale store; they said the town contribution represents “a little less than 10%” of their budget and helps sustain animal-control services provided for the town by the Payson Police Department.

Senior center staff described services for older residents and the role of town support. Janice Chesser, director of development and marketing for the Senior Center, said the town’s $135,000 request funds roughly 17% of the center’s operating budget attributable to Payson residents and that Payson residents represent about 78% of the center’s clientele. She provided use figures through March showing thousands of congregate and home-delivered meals and nearly 3,849 rides in the transportation program.

Council and staff discussion focused on the size of the requests, reporting and permitting limits. A council member asked whether the brush pit charges users; Aspelsol and staff said the pit operates under a U.S. Forest Service permit and, because of those permit terms, the site can accept donations but cannot operate as a full commercial fee-for-service site. On enforcement of illegal dumping, Aspelsol said fines and signage have had limited effect and that Forest Service enforcement capacity in the county is small.

Town staff said each agreement would be placed on a future consent agenda for formal approval if council had no further changes. Because the May 6 meeting was a work study, staff emphasized no formal action would be taken at that session.

What’s next: staff will include the agreements on a future consent agenda, and nonprofits will continue to submit quarterly financial reports required under the town’s funding policy.