Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Food Assistance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Farmers Market Dollar Plus shows strong utilization; council considers $81,000 boost to restart program
Summary
Staff reported the Farmers Market Dollar Plus program served 187 households after a November expansion to grocery stores; 27,800 in vouchers were issued and recipients spent $21,107. The program is paused; staff proposed adding $81,000 to bring the FY27 balance to $100,000.
Town staff briefed the council on the Farmers Market Dollar Plus program, reporting usage and a recommended funding boost for fiscal 2027.
Ryan Shelton and Chelten presented program results since the town expanded the program last November to include grocery stores: 187 households were served and $27,800 in vouchers were issued. "We had a redemption rate of 76%... but, the utilization rate was 98%." Shelton said, explaining that among households that used vouchers, nearly all of the voucher value was spent.
Staff reported $21,107 was actually spent by recipient households and that spending shifted heavily to grocery stores after the change; 90% of spending occurred at participating grocery stores (Save Mart, La Grande, and CC's were listed as participating). Staff said the program is currently paused because funds were limited, and that $19,000 remains available immediately. To provide a four-month run at last year's burn rate staff proposed adding $81,000 from a general-fund transfer into the economic development fund to create a $100,000 FY27 balance.
Council members asked for store-level redemption data to help target outreach and for staff to clarify whether the $81,000 transfer reduces other programs; staff said the $198,000 general-fund transfer into the economic development fund funds multiple planned items and that unspent funds roll forward between years.
Staff warned the $100,000 would be one-time funding and not a sustainable recurring revenue stream unless future budgets allocate ongoing dollars.
Next steps: staff will provide grocery-store-level utilization data to the council and will update budget documents showing the proposed transfer and the projected FY27 balance.
