Agency on Aging requests continued funding

OSKALOOSA — They do a lot of good for a lot of people.

The Seneca Area Agency on Aging, which covers Mahaska and several surrounding counties, will not be receiving funding from the city of Oskaloosa.

At Tuesday’s Oskaloosa City Council meeting, agency board member Delbert Brackney recommended the city reconsider this move.

Brackney said the agency had received $1,500 from the city of Oskaloosa each year stretching back to the 1990s. He added, the agency also receives funding from Mahaska County.

“Basically, with the money we get from the city, we use to pay our utility bills, which runs us about $500 a month,” said Brackney. “It serves the people of Oskaloosa more than it does the county people.”

Although he could not pinpoint when the city first began giving money to the Mahaska County Agency on Aging, Brackney said they were giving the $1,500 a year when he was on the Oskaloosa City Council in 1992.

Back in the 1990s, the assessed valuation of the agency was $185 million, said Brackney.

“I’m quite sure that the assessed value has gone up considerably since that time with the addition of Maple Ridge, with the addition of Fox Run and a few other additions gone through,” Brackney said.

So who could this directly impact?

Brackney said the agency serves up to 140 home-delivered meals to Oskaloosa residents every day. On top of that, 25 to 30 people eat meals at the Agency on Aging center on a daily basis, said Brackney.

“Some of those people we serve are not able to get out and go uptown to eat,” he said. “Some of them aren’t even able to go to the grocery store.”

Jimmy Carter, also an Agency on Aging board member, echoed Brackney’s sentiments.

“They do service a lot of people,” said Carter. “A lot of the seniors within our community, they depend upon the center on a daily basis.”

The city of Oskaloosa will submit their budget proposal to the state of Iowa March 15. Brackney acknowledged the city’s budget is smaller than in years past, but insisted the city reconsider funding the agency.

“We know that the budgets are tight with everybody and that can’t be helped, but we would appreciate it very much if, when the budget comes out, you can see fit to give to us the $1,500 that has been paid to us over the years,” said Brackney to the city council.

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Herald City Editor Andy Goodell can be reached at news2@oskyherald.com

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