Budget Cuts Stun Some
Senior Citizen Center Could Lose Funding Next YearBy Kristen Johnson kajohnson@post-journal.com
More than 120 Jamestown-area senior citizens could soon be lacking an activity center - for want of about $17,000.
Mayor Sam Teresi's draft 2010 budget, a $31.8 million spending plan that was released earlier this month, left no room for the Jamestown Area Senior Citizens Center.
''We're stunned,'' said Shirley Vandenburg, who has been the center's activities director for 12 years. ''If we have no funding, we'll have to close the doors. If we can't get the mayor to change his mind and give us the funding, we're up a creek.''
Mrs. Vandenburg called the decision - which she read about in the Oct. 9 edition of The Post-Journal - ''a real punch.''
''The last couple of years, the city has told me that the center has to move because it's too expensive to stay where we are,'' she said. ''I expected a cut in our budget, but I honestly never thought they'd eliminate our funding entirely.''
The center is located at 270 Newton Ave. on the lower floor of the parsonage at St. John's Church, which is part of Holy Apostles Parish. It's open on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. each day.
Members pay $10 per year in dues. In order to join the center, seniors must be active and over the age of 60. Mrs. Vandenburg said most members are 70 years of age or older and the majority - well over 80 percent - live in Jamestown. Some live in Lakewood, Celoron and Falconer, she said.
On Mondays, members enjoy Bingo games. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, members enjoy exercise, led by an employee of the YMCA, and line dancing. Members also meet once per month, with special speakers attending every other month. Members also take day trips once per month.
But that's not all - Mrs. Vandenburg also said the center plays host to the AARP, which provides senior driving classes on some Saturdays; RSVP Income Tax Service, which provides seniors with free income tax service between February and April; and flu shot clinics. Last week, one such clinic attracted 95 people, Mrs. Vandenburg said.
''We provide community service,'' she said. ''This isn't a day care or nursing facility. Our members are independent and active. The things we do are a big part of keeping them healthy. They come here to socialize and exercise - things they may not get if they stay at home alone. They'd lose that if this center has to close. You've got to keep seniors healthy or they're going to be in a nursing home.''
According to the budget request Mrs. Vandenburg submitted in September, the center has an income of $1,905 - money it gets through membership dues, a coffee fund, its travel club, donations and mailings. It spends $6,000 each year to rent the hall from St. John's Church, $2,500 per year in liability insurance, $1,550 for office supplies and it's newsletter, $300 for programs and $5,972 for Mrs. Vandenburg's salary and benefits - a total operating budget of just over $16,000.
The city pays rent for the hall, insurance, office supplies and also supplies $5,000 from contingency to cover the center's operating deficit.
According to Joe Bellitto, city comptroller, Mrs. Vandenburg asked for $14,000 from the city. The executive budget includes a $17,000 allocation because her request was received late and Bellitto had already plugged in 2009 numbers as placeholders.
Regardless, Mrs. Vandenburg says the center will not be able to operate without money from the city.
''We have no other funding source,'' she said. ''I don't know how to go about fixing this. I'm not a good beggar.''
Part of the problem, she said, is that the rent for the space is so high. She said church officials have refused to lower the rent, even though the space is no longer in use by the church. Church officials could not be reached for comment.
The search for another space has proven difficult, she said. Other facilities might be cheaper to rent, but they may not have enough space or adequate parking.
''I've asked every church in town, and while some of them have space, they don't have adequate parking,'' she said. ''And some places I've looked at have plenty of space for the center, but no office space. We have a pretty tall order to fill when it comes to a new space. Where in Jamestown will you find a space big enough to accommodate more than 60 people, with adequate parking that doesn't require senior citizens to feed a meter, where they can have time before and after events to socialize at their leisure and that will allow organizations like the AARP and the income tax preparers to come in? It's tough.''
The City Council begins budget deliberations on Monday night. It is scheduled to discuss the Senior Center's budget during a work session on Nov. 9. Mrs. Vandenburg said she hopes the council will be able to help.
''I know things are tough,'' she said. ''But eventually, everybody will be a senior citizen. Other organizations get hundreds of thousands of dollars. I hope the City Council can find a few thousand for us.''
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DiAnneC
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10-19-09 10:54 AM
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Any non-mandated organization funded primarily by taxpayers should be aggressively seeking alternate funding. When taxpayers are cutting non-essentials from their household budgets, they appropriately expect their elected officials to do the same. I have no fault with the church: They are providing parking (probably including snow removal), utilities, custodial, furnishings, office space for $6000/year or $500/month. They are probably meeting expenses and not much more. I agree that non-city resident dues should be slightly higher if the budget is predominantly city taxpayer funded. This group is serving a relatively small percentage of seniors in Jamestown. Many other opportunities exist for seniors in Jamestown. The director missed a key deadline for requesting funding and doesn't cite efforts to access alternate funding sources. Seems like it's time for a change and the mayor is making the right decision on this one.
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uhgtbk
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10-19-09 9:12 AM
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Where does this magic "grant money" come from and how many government employees are paid to help shift this money around?
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justsomegirl
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10-18-09 10:13 PM
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I should be clearer. It's not that I'm in favor of cutting all the funds, but more that I think she needed to get her budget figures in on time and also not just say, "Well, this is how much we need. I can't do it for less." It's more work, but maybe your offices aren't at the same location and events are held at different locations around town based on expected turnout. Maybe seniors have to pay for parking sometimes. Is it a struggle and will your seniors be unhappy about the changes? Yes, but so is everyone else currently trying to make do in horribly underfunded programs. Apparently she's not used to that.
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justsomegirl
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10-18-09 10:03 PM
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So, they need a place with an area large enough to hold 60-100 people, office space in the same area, and free parking for a large number of vehicles. In Jamestown. I'm sorry, but that's asking an awful lot. I think under $6,000 in rent is extremely cheap and she has no business complaining about the church. I'm also curious if turning in her budget request on time would have helped.
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CUF123
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10-18-09 6:59 PM
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Then cut what you can, carlaw, then cut it some more. All we ever hear from the county is "We Can't" Yes you can.
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carlaw
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10-18-09 1:58 PM
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CFU123, It's harder to county expenses because more than 75% of the cost of county government is mandated by Mr. Patterson and the state of NY.That doesn't leave alot left besides roads, bridges,and so on. The greatest cost is still medicaid which is still beter than Medicare or any insurance I have ever had.
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carlaw
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10-18-09 1:54 PM
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God doesn't pay to heat the place and keep the lights on or plow the parking lot. I don't think the church is making a killing but the city ad. and the BPU sure is.
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CUF123
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10-18-09 12:36 PM
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You can’t cut taxes with out cutting spending. This cut is a GOOD thing! It doesn’t surprise me that there is so much opposition; everybody has their own "special interest". Too bad it only helps the city. Let’s see if Edwards and his entourage can follow the lead.
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bodyhammer
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10-18-09 12:10 PM
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Now lets see raise the membership fee,take away there cost of liveing raise for 2yrs and then raise there medacare payment,that is all comeing out of there small $500 to $600 a month SS check,and the church chargeing them to have meetings what happened to the give me your sick and your poor and i will take care of them.....
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johnee
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10-18-09 12:07 PM
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remember they cut what will make the biggest noise 1st inorder to get what they want later.
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NYNana
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10-18-09 11:40 AM
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So how much money is being given to the Teresi administration in raises? Maybe if they do away with raises they can afford the $17,000 to fund the Sr. Center. Council members better watch out, they they will be approaching the age when they will be wishing they had a senior center. Of course, karma may get them before they reach that age and they won't have anything to worry about.
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MADA65
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10-18-09 11:31 AM
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clarification... Looking for grants is a great idea. Another thought - recruit more seniors! 80% of 120 = only 96 seniors from the city use the center. Recruit more members, and increase membership FEE for the 20% who live outside the city...
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MADA65
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10-18-09 11:31 AM
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Looking for grants is a great idea. Another thought - recruit more seniors! 80% of 120 = only 96 seniors from the city use the center. Recruit more members, and increase membership for the 20% who live outside the city...
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Happytocomment
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10-18-09 11:10 AM
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I think Jamestown needs someone to write grant applications. I am sure there are grants for the aged that would provide support for the Senior Center. The city really needs someone who is knowlegable in writing grant applications. New York has a council on aging and so does the Federal Government so get some grant money to help your seniors. You view them as the weaking of yours citizens especially when it comes to a budget crunch, instead you should view them as the strongest because they are the folks who vote in every election, a fact you should ponder seriously. The seniors have worked all their lives to support the area, they now deserve your support. I also have to say shame on the church, God's house demanding rent money, sounds like the money changers Christ drove from the Temple. The church should rethink what their purpose is.
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Happytocomment
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10-18-09 10:42 AM
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It looks like 2010 is going to be war on senior. You have Obama spouting I'm giving all the seniors on Social Security a check for $250.00 since we did away with their cost of living raise. Then we are going to charge them another $25.00 a month for their medicare, so $250.00 doesn't impress me much! Oh yeah let's close their senior center, who gives a crap if they paid taxes to send me through school? The Mayor is all grown up now thanks to the village seniors paying to educate the child, now kick them to the curb. Well Seniors get organized get mailing lists from AARP for all area seniors. Send them all information on how to defeat the people in charge right now in the next elections. Seniors unit become the Gray Panthers again and toss these uncaring folks out on their lame butts!! Don't let them take your senior center away. Sounds like the Mayor is an insensitive bully, shame on you Mr. Mayor for picking on senior citizens, you're a special kind of bully now aren't you.
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nonews
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10-18-09 10:17 AM
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So Budzilla, by your theory, anyone who doesn't have school children shouldn't have to pay school taxes. This is just another example of Teresi's total ineptness. Fund the*****club....the seniors in this community have paid more than their fair share throughout the years and a*****poor politician, like Teresi, shouldn't be allowed to ruin it for them.
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MADA65
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10-18-09 9:40 AM
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I have mixed feelings about this... hate to see any programs cut, but there must be a way to compromise. Charge more for membership, and cut some services. The rent and salary works out to be less than $9 an hour (based on 13.5 hours a week for 50 weeks), so neither sound unreasonable to me. But cut bingo - there are plenty of other places to play in this area! That would save $$ on rent, salary, insurance. Coupled with an increase in membership, (say $5 a month), it would make at least some difference.
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Thomas77
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10-18-09 8:14 AM
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I am 43 years old and know that a great percentage of people in this area are senior citizens, but that is only one of the things Teresi should be looking at. Many of these senior citizens paid there taxes over many years and deserve a place to go. Does the mayor think because these people are old that they do not deserve any considerations. I was a democrat, but after seeing all the problems from Teresi to Patterson, I am starting to re-think my party affiliation. It's a travesty that our current mayor would cut a program that has a miniscule budget compared to some of the other programs that cost millions of dollars. I don't see Teresi winning the next election, but if that is what he is made of, then good riddens!
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carlaw
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10-18-09 6:00 AM
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After paying taxes for years, and still paying taxes while trying to make ends meet, the city can't afford to keep a center open for seniors. I hope they remember this when it's time to vote. These are the folks who have footed the bill for all the social programs, school taxes, City pensions and perks for years and now they can't afford 17,000.00 dollars. The city is blighted and there is no place to park for seniors or anyone else. I wouldn't even want a campaign headquarters there free for the same reasons. It's not safe any more. Well Mr. Mayor, let them eat cake.
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BudZilla
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10-18-09 4:47 AM
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The city of Jamestown has pouring $14,000 a year into a church basement so some of its elderly members can have a place to play Bingo and exercise, etc? Seems $6000.00 of that goes directly to the church. I’m surprised other churches and The ACLU aren’t up in arms about that. Now Mrs. Vanderberg's $5,972 a year (part time?) position as the center's activities director is in trouble so she makes a fuss. The members are being charged $10.00 a YEAR for membership, while the taxpayers and others foot the rest of the bill. If the membership count is correct at 60, then the $16,000 a year cost for the center should boil down to about $267.00 a year per member, or $22.25 a month each. The harsh reality of economics: It’s far past time to cut the fat out of the budget, and the city should not be financing private clubs, no matter who the members are. Let them come up with the $22.25 a month each or stay home like the rest of us.
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