Allen County seniors who take advantage of delivered meals should know soon what the future holds. CURRENTLY meals are carried to senior centers in Iola, Humboldt and Moran, and then mostly distributed to homes of participants. A few are eaten at the centers.
County Clerk Sherrie Riebel said by week’s end she expects to have met with Isaac Brown, new director of Senior Services for Southeast Kansas, headquartered in Coffeyville, as well as a local group working to have meals prepared at the kitchen of the Allen County Jail.
For years the Meals on Wheels program has depended on Senior Services to deliver food to Allen County from a kitchen in Chanute. Recently, Allen County was told that because of program changes the hot meals would be replaced with frozen ones and delivered once a week in batches of five.
Later that was rescinded — the frozen part — but not before the county considered another avenue to provide meals, the jail kitchen. Sheriff Bryan Murphy figured the cost at $2.50 per meal. Murphy said the expanded food preparation would not require additional labor costs.
Riebel pointed out local preparation would give the county advantage by keeping the money here, moving revenue from one pocket to another — from the elderly service fund to the jail fund. Keeping funding in house seems a good reason to make a change, Riebel said, although she pointed out that whatever decision occurs will be made by county commissioners.
“They have the final say,” she said.
A meeting to further flesh out local meal preparation and logistics will be Thursday. The ad hoc committee consists of Riebel, Glenda Creason, longtime Iola senior volunteer, Sandy Hildinger, who looks after meals in Humboldt, and Murphy.
Riebel also will meet with Brown the next few days.
She is unsure when a recommendation will be made to commissioners. Brown told Riebel meal delivery will continue as is, unless canceled by the county, another four months.
In 2014 nearly 14,000 meals were brought to Allen County — 7,505 to Iola, 5,200 to Humboldt and 1,132 to Moran. Cost approached $40,000.
Recipients are not required to pay, but some give donations, which totaled a touch over $5,300 in Iola in 2014. Riebel did not have donation figures for Humboldt and Moran. The meals charge in Humboldt is $3.50, because years ago it became part of a program under a different phase than the rest of the county.
The primary qualification for recipients is to be 60 or older. A request for service must be filled out to receive meals, and may be done by contacting supervisors at the senior centers.
With Gas having a senior center from remodeling of the old Gas School, ti may join in the program, Riebel said. “Rhonda (Hill, city clerk) called and asked about it.”
Also being considered is how meals would be delivered to Moran and Humboldt, as well as Gas, if the county provided meals. City councils in Moran and Humboldt discussed delivery. Both groups said their cities’ participation would be difficult because of small staffs and time it would take an employee to drive to and from Iola near noon each weekday. Volunteers may be an alternative.
Meals decision around the corner
