| Author
|
Post |
 
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
Many worried about misuse of the millage even before it passed. It was rushed in and its use was not clearly defined before it was rushed to a vote.
The Bob Leonard Show repeatedly told residents not to pass the millage because it would only end up being spend on county bureacracy. The Sheriff , the Prosecutor and Metropolitan Planning have doled out the money to suit their needs, even though some of these services should have been provided without this millage. Senior Centers have greedily put their hands out for funding, mostly so some can play. Some centers are allegedly only dens for pool and gambling.
But the neediest of all, the homebound seniors seem to be out of the equation and these are the one's VAAA and GCARD were lobbying for. Ted Henry is right and this county millage is a sham as the county appears to be using it to subsidize their own offices, and not helping needy seniors.
Despite senior citizen millage, waiting list grows for home-delivered meals
Published: Friday, May 06, 2011, 8:00 AM Updated: Friday, May 06, 2011, 9:44 AM
By Ron Fonger | Flint Journal The Flint Journal
GENESEE COUNTY, Michigan -- The county still isn't meeting the demand from senior citizens for home-delivered meals despite collecting a special property tax that's raised tens of millions of dollars for senior services since 2006.
County Community Action Resource Department Executive Director Steve Walker said reductions in local millage money, state and federal funds have actually dropped the number of meals served daily from 1,200 in the previous fiscal year to about 1,000 now and more people than ever are asking for help.
View full sizeRyan Garza | The Flint JournalConstance Davidson, 92, of Grand Blanc, receives her home-delivered meal from Meals On Wheels driver Kim Terbush Thursday. Officials say they still can't meet the growing demand for the service despite passage of a special property tax for senior services five years ago.
More than 500 senior citizens are on a waiting list for home-delivered meals, according to the Valley Area Agency on Aging.
Our funding "really necessitated not adding any new clients and reassessing old clients for eligibility," Walker said. "There is some wait involved."
Members of the county's Senior Advisory Committee have been discussing the backlog for months, and county Commissioner Ted Henry, D-Clayton Twp., said he sees a storm brewing because of the backlog.
Henry said he will look more critically at other programs the millage is paying for if the county can't provide something as basic as a meal for needy seniors.
"I think that will be re-evaluated in the next round of contracts," said Henry, who said he would support full funding for home-delivered meal before continuing funding for programs like elder abuse prevention.
The Meals on Wheels waiting list is the latest drama tied to the 0.7-mill senior services property tax that voters approved in 2006.
Since then, the amount of money raised by the tax has fallen -- from a high of $8 million to $6.8 million annually -- because of declining property values and more seniors are asking for help, according to Lynn Radzilowski, senior services administrator for the county.
"With the amount of seniors increasing, the need is much, much higher," Radzilowski said. "There's a much higher demand for seniors wanting more of these services."
The county Board of Commissioners uses part of the 0.7-mill senior tax to help fund the operation of senior centers and part to pay for services like Meals on Wheels and county Sheriff Robert Pickell's elder abuse prevention program.
As of the end of the last fiscal year, commissioners had also banked about $5 million in senior millage funds
.
Delores Coulter, an attorney who served as chairwoman of the Genesee County Services for Senior Citizens Millage Committee in 2006, said she was shocked to hear that hundreds of elderly residents are on a waiting list for home-delivered meals.
The waiting list is kept by the VAAA and numbered 522 this week, according to
Executive Director Kathryn Boles, whose agency screens those who apply for Meals on Wheels to be sure they qualify for the service.
Boles said those on the waiting list are evaluated once slots become available in the program.
Coulter called Meals on Wheels "one of the top priorities" of those who worked to pass the senior millage.
"We believed that if the senior millage passed that every senior in Genesee County (in need of a meal would get one)," Coulter said. "It's been extremely disappointing that hasn't happened.
"It shouldn't be that hard to assure that seniors get a decent meal."
Coulter said county officials should consider spending some of the millions that have been tucked away since the passage of the millage in advance of providing more funding in the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1.
"I'm concerned that something as basic as this can't be done," she said.
People like Constance Davidson, 92, of Grand Blanc, consider themselves one of the fortunate ones who were accepted into the program before the county ran out of money.
'We voted in favor of the millage because we wanted other people to have Meals on Wheels if they were in our shape," Davidson said. " We never thought we would be using it ourselves. It's wonderful."
The continuing demand for home-delivered meals is the latest of several issues that have risen up around the senior services millage since it was approved by voters.
Most disputes have centered around the distribution of the tax, which has been substantial but not enough to satisfy competing interests.
The city of Flint and the county have repeated tangled over how much the city's senior citizen centers should receive, Vienna Township was allowed to use more than $2 million from the new tax to build a new senior center that others objected to, and just this week, commissioners criticized the director of the Krapohl Senior Center in Mt. Morris Township for requesting millage dollars to travel to a San Francisco conference. |
|
|
Fri May 06, 2011 9:07 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
As of the end of the last fiscal year, commissioners had also banked about $5 million in senior millage funds
Is the county using this $5 million as part of their pooled cash and just what is their intentions regarding this money. According to sources, this money is after paying all outstanding bills. |
|
|
|
Fri May 06, 2011 2:26 pm |
|
|
00SL2
F L I N T O I D
|
Genesee County Senior Millage Program
http://www.co.genesee.mi.us/seniors/
There are links on this website for:
Senior Citizen Services
Senior Millage geocoded maps. These maps show the approximate locations where Senior Millage funds were spent providing contracted services for Genesee County seniors.
Senior Citizen Services Advisory Committee (SCSAC)
Minutes, agendas, and updates
Genesee County Senior Service Centers
Find the Senior Service Center closest to you
Services for Genesee County Senior Citizens
Other services offered through the Senior Services Millage
Agency and Partner Links
Resources provided by other agencies in Genesee County
Contact Information
Lynn Radzilowski, Senior Services Administrator
Phone: (810) 257-3010
Fax: (810) 257-3185
Email: lradzilowski@co.genesee.mi.us |
|
|
|
Fri May 06, 2011 10:53 pm |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
When the County Parks Millage failed, it was because the millage was presented as one in which everyone paid into the millage and the communities then had to write proposals to get a piece of the pie. If a neighboring community wrote a better proposal that required funding over time, you might pay in and never reap the benefits of the millage.
People did not know this millage is somewhat the same way. Why are elder abuse cases being treated differently than child abuse cases? We don't have a millage for the investigation and prosecution of various other types of crimes.
The difference is the County Planning is controlling the millage and county officials are lobbying for the money. Flint allegedly has not reported their money correctly, so the county has imposed special rules on Flint that no other community has.
Flint residents were lobbied that their home bound seniors would have increased participation in community programs such as Meals on Wheels and VAAA. from day one the very agencies that lobbied for the millage have been saying they have not received increased funding. Valley Area Agency on Aging requires contributions from the communities it serves in order to meet matchs for grants.
Why is the county diverting the money into county services?
County senior center directors immediately started imcreasing the salary of directors and hiring staff. Now suddeenly near the end of the millage the county hires a director. Maybe it was because they couldn't decide on the rules, which changed every funding cycle. Flint rsidents have demanded accountability, which may be very new. But Flint has never gotten its bang for its buck out of the millage. |
|
|
|
Sat May 07, 2011 5:28 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
| The county website is not particulary usefu.. |
|
|
|
Sat May 07, 2011 5:37 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
$1.2 million in contracts from senior millage funds on Genesee County Board of Commissioners agenda Wednesday
Published: Monday, January 03, 2011, 10:33 AM
By Ron Fonger | Flint Journal The Flint Journal
GENESEE COUNTY -- Three contracts worth $1.2 million for senior citizen services are on the Wednesday agenda of the county Board of Commissioners' Human Services Committee.
Commissioners are expected to consider a $615,000 contract with Integrated Community Services to provide assessments and referrals, $500,000 for senior abuse and exploitation with the county Sheriff's Office, and $85,000 for meals assessments with the Valley Area Agency on Aging.
County attorneys and the county Planning Commission had previously been authorized to negotiate those contracts for the current fiscal year, according to a memorandum from the Planning Commission.
The countywide 0.7-mill senior services millage property tax generates about $7 million annually. |
|
|
|
Sat May 07, 2011 5:54 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
Genesee County commissioners consider more senior millage spending on administration, legal fees
Published: Tuesday, June 07, 2011, 1:14 PM Updated: Tuesday, June 07, 2011, 1:30 PM
By Ron Fonger | Flint Journal The Flint Journal
GENESEE COUNTY, Michigan -- There is not nearly enough money in the senior services millage budget to pay for administrative costs, including attorney fees, and the county Board of Commissioners is considering spending more of the special property tax on both.
Commissioners are expected to act Wednesday on a requests to increase an administration budget for the Office of Senior Services by $116,200, a 36 percent increase over the $306,000 that had been budgeted.
Part of that increase would pay higher-than-budgeted legal fees from the county's Office of Corporation Counsel -- a 47 percent increase over the amount that was budgeted.
Board Chairman Jamie Curtis, D-Burton, said establishing the office as a free-standing entity within the county Planning Commission lead to some of the one-time costs but said he expects there will be questions about the spending during Wednesday's Human Services Committee meeting.
"That's because of it being (established as) a stand-alone office," Curtis said. "It's going to be a lot less" after the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30.
Approved by voters in 2006, the 0.7-mill property tax for senior citizen services has been a source of frustration for county officials because of competing interests for the money, including the county sheriff's elder abuse program, food assistance and payments to senior centers.
Demand for the money has outstripped the $6.8 million the tax is expected to generate in the current fiscal year.
Just last month, officials acknowledged there were more than 500 seniors on a Meals on Wheels waiting list, one of the programs millage backers said the new tax help to support.
A senior advisory committee is recommending the budget adjustments.
In a memorandum to commissioners, a senior millage accountant said that in setting this year's budget, officials knew they would have to adjust administrative spending because of one-time, first-year costs.
"Many of the increases in administrative costs are for this year only," the memo says, "and we anticipate (next year's budget) to be reduced from the currently requested amount of $426,000."
10
Comments Feed View: Oldest first | Newest first
DWCBOB June 07, 2011 at 1:24PM
Follow
Is it possible for a petition drive to put the question of continuing this fiasco on the ballot?
PS - I'm a "senior"
Inappropriate? Alert us.Reply Post new
shanedr June 07, 2011 at 4:18PM
Follow
Yeah, at this rate there won't be any money for seniors at the rate the commissioners are robbing it. Where is the state attorney general when you need him?
Inappropriate? Alert us.Reply Post new
deelee39 June 07, 2011 at 1:28PM
Follow
The whole premsie of the senior millage push was to provide more meals on wheels and other needed senior services to those whose incomes are near or below the poverty level. To the contrary, since it's approval it's become a cash cow for a myriad here-to-fore non-existent county government "service departments" that have sprung up to facilitate the distribution of the funding - and all with upper 5 figure annual salaried positions. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice and shame on me if this millage gets renewed in the form it's become.
Inappropriate? Alert us.Reply Post new
deelee39 June 07, 2011 at 1:29PM
Follow
Typo...should be premise, not premsie...
Inappropriate? Alert us.Reply Post new
Flintasite June 07, 2011 at 1:52PM
Follow
Are they getting ready to set the taxpayers up for an increase in the millage? Or maybe they just have a surplus and want to put more of the funds directed into administrative and legal costs, say maybe a raise for everyone in the department? The administrative/legal costs are priority one in this community and those who are suppose to reap the benefits from our tax dollars get the least. Get ready for them to put on the next ballot an increase to an even one percent!
Inappropriate? Alert us.Reply Post new
JohnofGB June 07, 2011 at 1:59PM
Follow
Are there anymore bloodsuckers that the county wants to drain off dollars from the senior millage? The idea was not to support the county with "petty cash" to be used to replace what they would have spent from their budget but to support senior programs that existed already at the time of the millage. Come on, Jamie, and say "trust me" so I believe this is all on the up and up.
Inappropriate? Alert us.Reply Post new
offdahook June 07, 2011 at 2:54PM
Follow
The sheriff department receiving money from the senior millage needs to be audited to see where those funds are actually being spent. A recent journal article revealed that most , if not near all of their senior abuse investigatiions result in nothing more than a misdemeanor plea. The amount of money received by the sheriff could fund the wages of his entire detective bureau. The majority of the sheriff department operations is jailing, courts, and medical (paramedics). The actual police work they do is more in line with any other small law enforcement agency. Someone in county goverment needs to audit these funds.
Inappropriate? Alert us.Reply Post new
+_ June 07, 2011 at 3:04PM
Follow
Didn't you read the Ballot? It listed all the Downtown Developement Authorities that would EACH get from the Taxes Collected ! And it Was a Very large LIST .
Inappropriate? Alert us.Reply Post new
michspartan June 07, 2011 at 3:57PM
Follow
Worst government ever.
Genesee County! See all the negative cliches about government come true!
Inappropriate? Alert us.Reply Post new
criticofgov June 07, 2011 at 5:33PM
Follow
...then do something about it before you, as taxpayers, are no longer allowed to, (former Genesee County Commissioner/now State Representative John Gleason has been trying for years to get a law passed in Michigan whereby taxpaying citizens no longer have the right to recall elected officials in Michigan because it costs too much--as if crooked elected politicians don't cost too much!). The Genesee County Commissioners, in addition to regularly raiding the senior millage funds, have also increased the Purchasing Department budget within Genesee County by thousands of dollars, a budget used as a Commissioner slush fund...all the while laying off County workers and decreasing services to the taxpaying public... |
|
|
|
Tue Jun 07, 2011 6:02 pm |
|
|
00SL2
F L I N T O I D
|
I'm certain there are other references to the senior millage besides this thread. There should be an online list of checks written from the senior millage funds for all to see just how convoluted this has become. I've heard some express they will not vote for the millage again and at this point I'm likely to join them.
Just came across this reference today:
Probate Court
900 S. Saginaw Street
Room 502
Flint, MI 48502
(810) 257-3528
Effective 10-1-11
Due to budget reductions, probate court intake staff will no longer assist the public with filing petitions for minor guardianships, mental health pick-up orders, and temporary guardianships or conservatorships.
This program and/or service is funded in whole or in part by the Genesee County Senior Millage funds. Your tax dollars are at work.
Source: http://www.gc4me.com/departments/probate_court/index.php |
|
|
|
Mon Oct 03, 2011 3:56 pm |
|
|
00SL2
F L I N T O I D
|
mlive.com
Ineligible receiver? Genesee County commissioners may block Flint senior citizens from using millage funds on Detroit Lions tickets
Published: Tuesday, October 04, 2011, 9:00 AM
Ron Fonger | Flint Journal By Ron Fonger | Flint Journal The Flint Journal
GENESEE COUNTY, Michigan -- No one’s telling area senior citizens not to cheer on the red-hot Detroit Lions -- they just may have to do it without any more cash help from taxpayers.
The county Board of Commissioners has already nixed one request to use money from a special senior millage to pay $7,500 for 42 tickets and a charter bus to take seniors from a Flint senior center to Detroit on Oct. 23 to see the Lions take on the Atlanta Falcons.
The board is expected to consider a new request to pay for half of the tickets and a charter bus -- $2,431 -- during a committee meeting Wednesday.
Commissioner Omar Sims, D-Flint, said he wouldn't mind using millage money to pay the entire cost of what has been an annual trip.
"This is a tradition that (seniors) look forward to," said Sims, who voted against denying the original request.
Commissioner Brenda Clack, D-Flint, also voted against refusing the trip money.
The Lions tickets are $80 each and the county has paid for the trip in the past with millage funds.
This year, however, the county's Senior Advisory Committee adopted a policy of not paying for travel outside the county without the county board's approval.
There have also been problems in the past with some Flint seniors not showing for the game and city officials having been unable to account for those leftover tickets, said Lynn Radzilowski, administrator in the county Office of Senior Services.
County officials are scrutinizing expenditures now more than ever because of declining property values, which means the millage for senior service is generating less property tax revenue.
"I can't see us paying for entertainment and outside county travel when people need food and other care," said Commissioner Ted Henry, D-Clayton Twp.
Backers of the trip told commissioners last week they may not support renewal of the 0.7-mill senior services millage unless they are allowed to plan activities that their patrons want.
"We voted for this millage. We want to keep this millage," said Debra Holmes, a representative of Flint's Brennan Center. "But we can no longer support this millage" if the city centers are treated unfairly.
Flint's three senior citizen centers have been approved for millage funding in the current fiscal year and that already allocated money would be used for the Lions trip.
Commissioners gave the county's 16 senior citizen centers $2.5 million of the $6.4 million the senior millage is expected to generate this year.
Clack said she understands why Flint seniors are frustrated being told they can't use their funding for a trip that's been a tradition since 2008.
Clack also said she's frustrated by other cuts commissioners have made in services for seniors.
In August, the county board cut funding to the prosecutor and sheriff for elder abuse investigations and eliminated a Mass Transportation Authority program that provided rides and assistance helping senior citizens to and from their homes to Your Ride vehicles.
County board Chairman Jamie Curtis said he can't vote for the Lions trip because of centers should live by travel restrictions the advisory committee put into place.
"The millage is shrinking," Curtis said. "That's the reason for (this decision). Everybody has their opinion ... You can really nit-pick this thing if you want to."
Curtis said the county has tightened the rules on what millage money is used for in several areas, noting that in addition to trips to Detroit Lions and Detroit Tigers games, the property tax has been used in the past for bingo prizes and birthday cakes.
He said senior centers can still organize out-of-county trips and use fund-raisers or other non-millage funds to pay for them
© 2011 MLive.com. All rights reserved.
Source:
http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2011/10/ineligible_receiver_genesee_co.html |
|
|
|
Tue Oct 04, 2011 7:47 pm |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Register
Profile
FlintTalk.com Forum Index
> Political Talk
