Senior services report flags transit funding pressures; levy and costs reviewed

Laura Toth of McSass provided a detailed update on senior and adult services, reporting program totals through six months and stressing the relationship between transit usage and levy funding. "Again, we're steady at 176," Toth said of senior farmers market voucher applicants; she told the commissioners the county has dispersed $808,800 in voucher funds and that $2,370 (27 percent of one pool) had been spent for a subset. She summarized six-month totals: 7,392 transit trips, 19,160 home-delivered meals and 4,257 congregate meals.

Toth noted the county shifted this year to a bulk-pay commitment of $220,000 to transit and that year-to-date transit costs were $119,355. She and county staff said they are beginning projections about whether services would need to be limited if levy-supported transit funds are exhausted, emphasizing possible prioritization for medical transport such as dialysis trips. The board heard that the senior services levy is $1,300,000 and discussed options to manage demand if costs continue to rise.