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Services for the Elderly requests near‑3% operating increase and 20% vehicle match from Franklin County
Summary
Sharon Geiss of Services for the Elderly asked Franklin County commissioners for an operating increase of just under 3% for 2026 and a 20% local match (about $27,500) for a grant to replace a 2014 passenger vehicle; she warned the nonprofit is not sales‑tax exempt and could owe roughly $13,000 if a state exemption is not enacted.
Sharon Geiss, representing Services for the Elderly, asked the Franklin County Commission on March 12 for an operating increase “just under 3% for 2026” and for help providing a 20% match on a grant application to replace a 2014 passenger vehicle.
Geiss said the agency applied for grant funding to replace a wheelchair‑capable vehicle and that “20% of that will be 27.5,” referring to $27,500 as the local match. She told commissioners the vehicle estimate in the application is $137,500 and that replacing the existing bus with a similar lift‑equipped vehicle was prohibitively expensive; the agency plans to obtain a slightly smaller, more fuel‑efficient vehicle that will still accommodate wheelchairs.
Why it matters: Services for the Elderly is a private 501(c)(3) and, Geiss said, is not exempt from sales tax. She said a bill in the Kansas Legislature could change that; if it does not, the nonprofit would expect to pay about $13,000 in sales taxes on the new vehicle. The organization also asked the commission to consider using one‑time county funds as a local match if possible, citing a previous instance when county funds were used to match vehicle grants.
Supporting details and constraints: Geiss said the agency has reduced some operating line items, including fuel, for 2026 but is facing rising benefit costs and low starting wages for drivers — she said starting pay for drivers is $12 an hour and that recruitment is difficult at that rate. She also described participation in a coordinated transportation district that has hired a mobility manager (KDOT will fund the position for three years), which will help arrange trips outside Franklin County.
Commission response and next steps: Commissioners asked follow‑up questions about vehicle size and wheelchair capability. Geiss said all agency vehicles are handicap accessible; not all have lifts, but the replacement vehicle will maintain lift capability for electric wheelchairs. No formal county appropriation or vote was taken on the item during the meeting; Geiss said she would be available to answer additional questions after her presentation.
Context: Geiss brought two members of the agency board with her and corrected a prior filing error about last year’s allocation amount. She also noted recent changes in board membership and reiterated the organization’s operating pressures and capital needs for fleet replacement.
