ALPENA — Last week, the Alpena County Board of Commissioners voted to give a variety of programs for seniors a combined roughly $622,000 in funds raised by a countywide property tax.
One of the allocations — nearly $83,000 given to Habitat for Humanity Northeast Michigan — raised concerns from some commissioners.
Habitat will use the county’s money to help keep seniors in their homes and pay for needed home repairs. Ted Fines, executive director of the local Habitat, said the program has served more than a dozen senior families so far this year.
County Commissioner Robin LaLonde, who voted against the recommendation of the Older Person’s Committee for allocation of the tax money, said the grant to Habitat could have been used on other projects that would benefit a larger number of people.
She also said Alpena County has a housing program that offers similar services and called it imprudent to help fund an organization that duplicates services.
LaLonde said she also voted no because she was concerned the large grant to Habitat could jeopardize services at the Alpena Senior Citizens Center, where costs for programming have soared.
“It is not that I don’t think it is a good program, but there are similar programs in the county,” she said. “I believe the money could have been used toward supporting projects that serve larger amounts of seniors, rather than a small amount. My biggest fear was that a program like Meals on Wheels could be compromised or reduced.”
Fines said he was disappointed to learn some of the commissioners questioned the funding to the nonprofit.
He said this is the third year in a row that Habitat had received an allocation from the county to assist seniors with everything from roof repair to furnace and water heater replacement to bathroom and counter renovations to make homes more accessible.
“We do more projects and work than anyone … and we always report what we spent every dime on with the treasurer, and there has never been an issue,” Fines said. “We are proud of the program we have built and have been good stewards of the money. We have received these grants for several years and we will continue with the relationship we have with the county, because there is still a great need out there and a lot of work to do.”
County Commissioner John Kozlowski echoed some of the same concerns that LaLonde expressed.
He said helping a senior repair his or her home is always a justified way to spend money, but, with other housing program options available and the limited number of people who will benefit from the allocation to Habitat, the money may have been better-suited for other projects that benefit more seniors.
“Habitat does a lot of good things for the community, but that money could have been used for other project proposals that didn’t get funding or not the full amount they requested,” he said. “We are always trying to get as much bang for our buck as possible, and I think the money should have been used for projects that would assist the greatest number of people.”
In previous elections, the ballot language seeking voter approval of the property tax for senior services mentioned housing as a way the tax money could be used, La Londe said. Last year’s renewal proposal did not include that reference, she said, making her wonder if the allocation to Habitat went against what the county sold to voters.
As is the case each year, the Alpena Senior Citizens Center received the bulk of the tax funding. For 2024, the center will receive about $500,000 for Meals on Wheels and other senior programs and general operations.
Senior Citizens Center Director Annie Hepburn said the center receives some state and federal funding, but, without the money from the local tax, she could be forced to make cuts, especially as inflation increases expenses.
“What we are seeing is the revenue funds don’t go up, but food costs and the cost of everything else has gone up,” she said. “The millage helps us to carry on and to continue to offer the amazing programs we offer and to continue to offer the socialization here that the seniors enjoy every day.”
Last year, the Senior Citizens Center served nearly 80,000 meals through its Meals on Wheels program and its dinners at the center.
Each year, the Older Persons Committee accepts requests for grant funding related to seniors in Alpena County. After a review of the proposed projects, the committee recommends to the county Board of Commissioners which projects should receive funding, and the county board gives final approval.
Voters in 2022 renewed for four years the property tax that funds senior services. The county levies a 0.55-mill property tax to raise money for programs, services, activities, and mobility for county residents 60 and older. The tax costs the owner of a $100,000 house about $27.50 a year and generates about $542,160 each year.