Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Funding Millage topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners press county to speed millage and SKIP fund spending as nutrition and crisis needs grow
Summary
Washtenaw County commissioners urged faster distribution of senior‑services millage funds and called for transparency about SKIP funds and crisis intervention spending, arguing providers need rapid relief and asking staff for recurring briefings to the county board.
Commission liaison Annie Somerville told the Washtenaw County Commission on Aging that she is pressing county leadership to accelerate distribution of senior‑services millage funds and explore expedited spending paths while the county completes hiring for a director of aging services.
"I will continue to be annoying about it," Somerville said, adding that it is "a huge disservice to the community that we are sitting on millions of dollars" while providers — particularly nutrition programs — face rising costs.
Commissioners discussed SKIP (short‑term crisis assistance) allocations and noted the fund balance is low (roughly $10,000 remaining). Several members proposed that the commission recommend increasing allocations to the senior crisis intervention program and asked for clearer, frequent reporting on SKIP and millage expenditures, such as how many people were helped, what services were paid for and average awards per client.
Annie Somerville and others urged using available county options to move money quickly if enough support exists among commissioners and county leadership. She said hiring the county director of aging services remains a gating factor for the full RFP process; commissioners were told an RFP could be ready in January once a director is in place, though timelines were not guaranteed.
Members suggested practical next steps: a brief, recurring update on SKIP and millage spending for the full county board or a short SKIP presentation at an upcoming board meeting, plus development of a compact report that lists SKIP expenditures, number served and impact examples. Commissioners also discussed asking the new aging director to produce a letter of intent or request for quotes to gather information on program needs for transportation, housing and crisis supports.
No formal funding motion was made during the meeting; commissioners asked staff to pursue clearer reporting and to flag immediate options the county could use to accelerate distributions to providers and crisis programs.
