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Treasurer reports roughly $93,000 in Northborough elderly-and-disabled fund; committee considers outreach and threshold review
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Summary
At a March 31 remote meeting, the Town of Northborough Elderly and Disabled Taxation Fund Committee heard a treasurer's report showing a balance reported at roughly $93,007, discussed fundraising via the tax-bill checkoff and a $10,000 recurring donor, and agreed to revisit eligibility thresholds in the fall.
Lisa Trost, the committee treasurer, reported at the March 31 remote meeting that the Elderly and Disabled Taxation Fund ended last year with $79,576.48 after grants of $9,179.28 and that the account has since received interest and donations raising the balance to about $93,007.67. "So we ended last year at 79,576.48, and that was after we... had granted 9,179.28," Trost said, and noted interest revenue and donations since then, adding that $10,000 of the recent donations came from a recurring generous donor.
Trost said much of the smaller giving comes through a checkbox on the municipal tax bill and occasional smaller gifts. "People will do a check off. And sometimes they round up, sometimes they give," she said, describing the tax-bill checkoff as a steady source of modest contributions. Committee members discussed ways to raise awareness of the fund so more taxpayers use the checkoff or otherwise donate.
Member Vicky Johnson, who said she attends Council on Aging meetings, expressed surprise that the committee had received only four applications for assistance so far. "It really surprises me that we don't have more requests for help," Johnson said, suggesting that eligible residents may not know the fund exists and urging more outreach.
Committee members also discussed eligibility thresholds. Several participants recalled a vote last year to raise income thresholds and suggested scheduling a fall review to consider cost-of-living adjustments in light of recent inflation. Chair Lee Kiyomani Bong said the committee would place fundraising and a threshold review on the next agenda and suggested meeting in late summer or early fall to address those items.
Trost provided the committee's accounting as she had it at the meeting. The transcript contains some inconsistent numeric formatting for interest, donations and the current balance; the article reports the figures Trost stated but notes that exact cents in the transcript are unclear. The committee did not take additional formal funding actions at the meeting; members agreed to return later with a plan for outreach and a formal review of thresholds.
