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Public commenters urge board to reconsider equal millage allocation for senior centers
Summary
Three representatives of local senior centers told commissioners the millage is currently split equally but does not account for service populations; they asked the board to reassess allocations and work with centers to determine needs.
During public comment Marge Durm-Hiatt (Niles Charter Township) spoke on behalf of the Niles Senior Center, provided attendance and taxable-value statistics to commissioners and "requested the commissioners to reconsider how the millage is allocated to each senior center." Debbie Ziemke of Bainbridge Township spoke for the North Berrien Senior Center and said that while her center serves fewer people it provides the same services. Cindi McLaughlin, Executive Director of the St. Joseph Lincoln Senior Center, said each center has distinct challenges and urged the county to reassess funding allocations and work with centers to "truly know each of their needs."
Speakers framed their remarks around equity and operational needs: Durm-Hiatt highlighted attendance and taxable-value statistics as a basis for adjusting allocations; Ziemke emphasized service parity despite smaller client volumes; McLaughlin called for a collaborative reassessment between county staff and center leadership. The transcript records these requests during the public-comment period; no board response, directive or vote on millage allocation was recorded in the meeting minutes.
