Trumbull commissioners expected to realloce senior center funds
By Ed Runyan
WARREN
Trumbull County commissioners are expected today to approve the transfer of $35,000 of senior-citizens levy money originally allocated to a McDonald senior center to six other Trumbull County senior centers.
Diane Drawl, levy administrator, said the commissioners authorized the McDonald center to receive the money last year, but the building that was going to house the facility failed a building inspection and wasn’t able to open.
The McDonald center is expected to open in July, but that is after the current funding cycle will have ended June 30, so it makes sense to put the money into centers that can use it, Drawl said.
The money will be distributed to the following centers run by SCOPE of Trumbull County Inc.: Warren, $5,750; Howland, $6,325; Niles, $6,325; Lords-town, $4,600; Johnston, $7,475; and Farmington, $4,524.
The commissioners also will be asked to transfer the $23,445 that was allocated to Coleman Professional Services on Rhodes Road in Kent for adult day care to two other providers.
Coleman was awarded the money for this year but was unable to get anyone to come to the facility for adult day care or transportation, Drawl said.
The leftover funds will go to Easter Seals of Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties on Edwards Street in Youngstown, $7,033; and Antonine Sisters Adult Daycare Inc. of North Jackson, $16,411.
Drawl said she believes a Trumbull County provider will bid to offer the services in the coming funding cycle, which begins July 1.
Commissioners also are expected to approve the transfer of $100,000 in levy funding to Trumbull Transit, which provides transportation services.
The $100,000 brings the total levy funding for senior-citizen transportation to $425,000 for this funding cycle.
The $100,000 was leftover money originally allocated to in-home care, adult day care and other services but not used by the agencies the money was allocated for last year.
Commissioner Frank Fuda said the demand for transportation services is “out of sight,” so applying the leftover funds to transportation is the best use for it.
The Trumbull Transit Board has administered transportation funding from the levy since Jan. 1, 2012, after the city of Niles decided to end its operation of Niles Trumbull Transit.
Trumbull Transit will oversee $1.5 million to $2 million of transportation services through Community Bus Services during the current funding cycle, including curb-to-curb on-demand rides to help senior citizens get to and from places such as doctor’s offices and stores.
In other business, commissioners will consider whether to approve the purchase of four International trucks and chassis equipped with snow plows for $594,612.
The trucks will come from Rush Truck Centers in Cincinnati through the state purchasing program. Snow and ice equipment for them will come from Gledhill Road Machinery of Galion, Ohio.
The county engineer’s office will pay for the trucks with a six-year loan from Huntington National Bank.