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Bayfield County meal programs report staffing gains but warn of rising HDM costs
Summary
County staff said congregate meal sites have stabilized after driver shortages, but home-delivered meals face growing demand and budget pressure from higher wages, meal costs and vehicle needs; Cornucopia covered a recent $2,500 shortfall through fundraising.
Carolyn Novack reported to the joint Bayfield County Department of Human Services advisory meeting that driver shortages for congregate meals had affected operations but recent hiring of part-time permanent drivers has stabilized service. Site managers such as Sandy Galer in Port Wing were highlighted as maintaining smooth daily operations, and the Barnes site is now fully staffed.
Novack said participation at congregate sites varies with weather and staffing, and organizers have used fundraising to cover shortfalls — Cornucopia raised funds to cover a $2,500 meal-site deficit. Public Health will provide educational presentations at sites, and EMTs are scheduled to offer blood-pressure checks to help participants become familiar with emergency responders.
On home-delivered meals (HDM), Novack said participation has grown, with nine new clients recently added and more referrals coming in. She warned the HDM budget may not be able to meet rising demand because of higher driver wages, increased meal costs, and the need to replace aging vehicles. Novack suggested reviewing donation amounts and noted that new accounting software soon should improve budget tracking and planning.
The committee received these operational and budget updates as informational; no formal budget action or vote was recorded at the Feb. 24 meeting. The discussion highlighted both recent staffing improvements and outstanding financial pressures for HDM services.
