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Cornerstone director outlines services, $300K parking project largely donor-funded
Summary
Natalie Ramish described Cornerstone Community Center's programs and staffing, said case-management workload serves about 120 active clients at a time, and reported a new parking project (~$300,000) funded chiefly by donations (about 69%); staff proposed a modest staff pay increase and legal-structure work on employee arrangements.
Natalie Ramish, speaking for the Cornerstone Community Center, described typical client interactions and the center's role in supporting older residents with meal delivery, case management and transportation. Using a composite example she called "Barbara," Ramish showed how case managers and volunteers coordinate meals, in-home checks and transportation for medical appointments.
Ramish told trustees the center operates with two full-time case managers and relies on about 120 active volunteers annually; she said the center typically case-manages about 120 people at any given time. On capital work, she described a recently completed Phase 1 parking and entrance project off Highway V whose estimated $300,000 cost was funded roughly 69% by donations, 12% by fundraising and 19% by interest/reserves.
Ramish said the board has discussed transitioning legal employment arrangements so the center could hold employment directly rather than having employees technically employed by the village; the change is still in process and requires approvals from Social Security and Wisconsin Retirement. She also noted plans for Phase 2 (a walking path to connect to the village path system) and asked trustees to consider modest staffing and operational support in the broader budget context.
Trustees asked about meal program reimbursements; Ramish explained Dane County pays upfront for meals and the center asks recipients for voluntary donations, which are then reconciled with county rules. The board did not take a final vote; the presentation was an informational budget update.
