Funding Of Area Senior Programs Discussed

Western Egyptian Executive Director Paulette Hamlin, left, and County Commissioner Terry Liefer address those attending last week’s meeting at the Waterloo Senior Nutrition Site. – photo by Judy Brinkmann

Area officials met last week with representatives of Western Egyptian to discuss both the current status and future of the Waterloo and Columbia senior nutrition sites. Western Egyptian began more than 30 years ago and provides programs for senior citizens in Monroe, Randolph and Perry counties. It offers transportation, health screenings, assistance with social services and the senior meals program. It receives funding at the federal, state and local level.

Western Egyptian Executive Director Paulette Hamlin said the senior centers can not directly charge seniors for weekday meals. While the cost of the meal is $6.50 per meal, they do have a suggested donation of $3.50. She said the average donation received is $3.30 per meal. The suggested donation for home delivered meals is $3.75, with the county average at $2.48 received per meal. In 2007, Western Egyptian served 15,417 meals in Waterloo and 13,105 in Columbia.

Items discussed during the meeting included financing issues, funding changes in recent years and needed program improvements. Hamlin said that between 2003 and 2008 there has been a $60,000 annual decrease in funding for their services provided to Columbia and Waterloo.

“Western Egyptian has made every effort to cut back on spending by minimizing staff, cutting hours, reducing benefits and scaling back the hours of operation for the centers,” said Hamlin. “We can not cut anything else and need to do something to increase funding.”

To offset the funding shortfall decrease in recent years, the City of Waterloo has committed $7,000 per year and Columbia has added $5,000 per year in funding. Western Egyptian’s amount of money received through the Area Agency On Aging of Southwestern Illinois is based on a funding formula. Factors include the number of seniors living in the county, seniors below poverty level, minority seniors and seniors above the age of 75.

Hamlin said one of the reasons for the decrease in funding is because the Area Agency on Aging has changed their formula for determining payouts to local senior centers. Historically, the agency based funding on the population served. While Monroe County senior centers have served a large number of citizens in the past, the new formula has resulted in a significant reduction in funding.

In an effort to determine what can be done to increase funding and improve services available to seniors, Waterloo Mayor Tom Smith offered the help of Gibault Catholic High School students. The students will conduct a survey to determine the services available to seniors in Monroe County, which services are working and the ones which are not. The students will then analyze the results and make a report on their findings.

At the conclusion of the meeting, several suggestions were made to insure the needs of area senior citizens were met. Columbia Mayor Kevin Hutchinson said Columbia aldermen have recently agreed to increase the funding to their senior center to $8,200 through the end of the fiscal year.

“Columbia is very aware of the importance of our senior population and the significance of having programs and services such as those offered by Western Egyptian,” said Hutchinson.

Following the fiscal year, Hutchinson said the city would then reexamine the deficit at the senior center and adjust their contribution accordingly. Columbia is also in the process of hiring a community and economic development coordinator to work with the city’s financial committee and Western Egyptian to help identify funding sources.

County Commissioner Dale Haudrich suggested a meeting be arranged of representatives from Western Egyptian, Waterloo Senior Haven, the mayors of Waterloo and Columbia and the county commissioners. During that time they would discuss specific issues, including combining the Waterloo Senior Center and Senior Haven.

Smith suggested the cities contact their utility providers and have them add an option on the bills for making donations to their senior centers.

Monroe County Commissioner Dale Haudrich, left, and East West Gateway Council of Governments Executive Director Les Sterman addressed members of Progress For Columbia during their January meeting at Columbia High School. The two discussed the implications of FEMA and the Corps of Engineers’ plans to enforce tougher requirements for levees to remain certified. Monroe County is working with Madison and St. Clair counties in applying for AR Zoning, which will allow the region 10 years to complete the levee restoration. Area leaders are now working out ways to fund the multi-million dollar cost to fix the levees.

The Waterloo Fire Department responded Sunday night for a report of a chimney fire on Madison Avenue. Damage was reported to be minor.

Alice Gregson celebrated a birthday with her family and friend, Scott Steinsieck. They dined on Papa Vitos pizza.

Glenn “Blackie” Grosse is recovering with multiple injuries after falling down a stairwell Saturday evening at Gallagher’s Restaurant in Waterloo.

Floyd Floarke of Valmeyer and Mike Stechmesser of Columbia each stopped by Fountain Inn Saturday evening celebrating birthdays.

Scholarship Applications Available: The Monroe County Farm Bureau Foundation scholarship application is available by contacting the Monroe County Farm Bureau office. The amount and number of scholarships awarded will depend upon the number and quality of applications received.

Recent Obituaries
Luella Aycock nee Wetzler, 79, of Waterloo, died Jan. 19. She was born Feb. 22, 1928 in Fults, the daughter of the late George and Lena nee Fauss Wetzler. Survivors include son, Michael (Susie) Aycock; grandsons Aaron and Ryan Aycock; sister, Ardell (Leroy) Hartmann; brother, William (Lucille) Wetzler; and sisters-in-law Helen Wetzler and Darlene Wetzler. She was preceded in death by a son, Terrence Aycock; brothers Raymond, Willis, Roland, Robert, Wilbert and Emil Wetzler; sisters-in-law Katherine and Elfrieda Wetzler. Visitation was Monday, Jan. 21. A funeral service followed at St. Paul UCC of Waterloo. She will be buried at Kolmer Memorial Cemetery in Waterloo. Memorials may be made to the church or Hospice of Southern Illinois.

Betty Lou Nier nee Riley, 78, of Valmeyer, died Jan. 19, in Red Bud. She was born Nov. 18, 1929, in Kirkwood, Mo., the daughter of the late Thomas and Ethel (nee Brown) Riley. Survivors include children Sharon (Steve) Newell, Linda Ford, Jerry Alexander, Donna (Jim) Aldridge, Tamara (Dave) Holmes, Keith (Tina) Nier and David Cole; 13 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by husband, Clarence Nier; two sisters and two brothers. She was a member of the Valmeyer Senior Citizens and Valmeyer American Legion Auxiliary. Visitation is Tuesday, Jan. 22, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Quernheim Funeral Home. Funeral is Wednesday, Jan. 23, 9:45 a.m., at the funeral home, with Pastor Darrell Jones officiating. She will be buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis. 

Olinda Louis Huebner nee Petersen, 84, of Red Bud, died Jan. 19, in Red Bud. She was born Jan. 24, 1923, in St. Louis, Mo., the daughter of the late Henry and Louise nee Bangert Petersen. Survivors include daughter, Karen (Kenneth) Schau of New Athens; and sister-in-law Dorothy Petersen of St. Louis, Mo. She was preceded in death by her husband, Elmer Huebner; and brother, Henry Petersen. She was a member of the St. Peter UCC of Red Bud Women's Fellowship and a past member of GRG at Immanuel UCC of Ferguson, Mo. Visitation is Monday, Jan. 21, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Quernheim Funeral Home. Funeral is Tuesday, Jan. 22, 11 a.m., at St. Peter UCC of Red Bud, with Pastor Kenneth Knobloch officiating. She will be buried at the church’s cemetery. Memorials may be made to the church.

Arlene “Eileen” Edwards nee Pencak, 68, of Waterloo, died Jan. 19, 2008, in Waterloo. She was born Dec. 21, 1939, in East St. Louis, the daughter of the late Joseph and Mary nee Ziemba Pencak. Survivors include husband, Raymond Edwards; children David “Fritz” (Kathy Engel) Edwards and Diane (Daniel) Amann; grandchildren Sheila Amann, Stephanie Amann and Daniel Amann; devoted dog Punky; sister, Rosemarie (Edward) Zakszewski; and half-sister, Loretta Buettner. Visitation is Tuesday, Jan. 22, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., at Quernheim Funeral Home. Funeral will follow at 11 a.m. at the funeral home with Father Robert Gore officiating. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Southern Illinois.