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Riverdale council reopens debate on senior-center lunches after county funding loss; staff to return with costs and options
Summary
After Weber Human Services declined to fund Riverdale's senior-lunch program, councilors asked staff to analyze costs, resident vs. nonresident usage and possible tiered pricing; staff said alternatives and grants are being explored but no decision was made.
Councilors returned to a long-running discussion about Riverdale's senior-center lunch program at the Aug. 5 meeting after Weber Human Services recommended not funding the city's request. City staff said the lack of county funding means Riverdale residents are carrying a larger share of the cost and asked the council for direction.
Mister Brooks, the staff presenter, said recent meetings indicated nonresidents represented a large share of attendees at some events and suggested the city consider a tiered fee structure or other approaches. "If the county is not going to give us any money, then we've got to decide if Riverdale wants to keep paying for lunches for people who don't live in our city," Brooks said.
Councilor Richter said the council needs transparent cost data and recommended review of the prior county process that awarded funds. "I think it's appropriate that we look at the costs," Richter said, and asked staff to investigate whether the county's earlier award process was handled appropriately.
City staff and several councilors criticized the county decision as political. "That was not a decision based on merits by any means. That was a political decision," Mister Brooks said, arguing the city presented data, including a geofence analysis of where patronage originated, that he said demonstrated Riverdale's need. Several councilors and staff urged restoring relationships with Weber Human Services while also seeking alternative funding, grants and internal budget changes.
Rich, who manages senior programs, said fees collected for programs go to the senior board (not the city general fund) and that the city can compile monthly figures showing actual lunches served and the cost to inform policy choices. Staff committed to return with a breakdown of lunch costs, resident vs. nonresident counts, and possible pricing options; no formal action was taken.
Councilors also raised longer-term questions about the RDA's role and whether certain housing and senior-service financial reserves are separate funds and therefore not available to subsidize lunches. Staff said the RDA reserves have not been used to pay for lunches and that the senior-center operating costs come from the general fund.
