Council approves $18,357 contract with Hannibal Nutrition Center after director answers questions

The City of Hannibal on June 2 authorized a one-year service agreement with the Hannibal Nutrition Center for $18,357, approving Resolution 2606-26 after a presentation and brief question-and-answer session.

Martin Tucker, director of the Hannibal Nutrition Center, told the council he has been with the center for 33 years, seven as director, and described its services: home-delivered meals on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, deliveries covering about 175 miles and more than 200 meals daily, and a noon dining program with social activities. “We have never required a person to pay,” Tucker said, and added the center’s mission includes ensuring a senior is not denied a meal because of inability to pay.

Tucker said the organization owns its building and disputed suggestions it had been shut down. He also said the center’s contracts to supply meals to the Hannibal Community Supervision Center and the Mark Twain Behavioral Health Center run separately and that city funds are used only to purchase food. “While a meal cost us approximately $9 per meal, the amount we request from the city covers approximately 37¢ per meal,” Tucker said.

Council members sought operational and historical budget context: how long the $18,357 contribution had been in place (staff indicated the city’s records go back at least to 2013), how many staff the center employs (Tucker said about 26 employees, three full-time), and whether the center could return to five-day service. Several council members expressed support and suggested the council consider increasing funding in the future.

After the presentation and questions, the council adopted Resolution 2606-26 authorizing the mayor to sign the contract. The mayor declared the resolution duly approved.

The contract is for the current fiscal year; council members said the city will review funding levels again during the upcoming budget cycle.