BOARD TO TAKE BIDS FOR FUNDS

JACKSON - Members of the Cape Girardeau County Senior Services Board have agreed on an application form, and are encouraging groups in the county that provide services to senior citizens to submit applications.

The seven-member board is responsible for recommending how to spend funds that will be generated from a 5-cent property tax levy earmarked for services to people 60 and over. Voters approved the tax levy in April.

The tax will generate about $220,000 this year.

"We're hoping to get an application from every eligible agency in the county," said Bob Deneke, chairman of the board. So far about a dozen groups have requested applications.

Deneke said the applications are being printed now and will be mailed to all interested organizations soon. The deadline for applications to be returned is Oct. 31.

The chairman stressed that the committee will make its decisions during November, in time to present a proposed budget to the Cape Girardeau County Commission by Dec. 1.

The application form is four pages long; however, Deneke said, it is quite simple to fill out. "Most of it is worded so that they can say yes or no or briefly explain what they are doing," he said.

Committee members will review the applications and in most instances will hold meetings with representatives of the organizations requesting funds.

"We feel it will be important to bring some people in to explain further what their needs are," said Deneke. "We can't get everything we need on a piece of paper."

The application form asks groups to request a specific amount of money and to outline specifically the services they will be providing with the funds.

Deneke said the board has spent quite a bit of time discussing the application process and how to make decisions on funding in a fair way.

"We hope to learn from this first year," said Deneke. "We want to use good, common-sense judgments based on the applications we receive."

One guideline the board hopes to follow, he said, is to provide funds to organizations that will provide additional services to seniors, not to replace funding in place.

While the Senior Services Board is hoping to receive a number of applications, Deneke said its does not want to mislead organizations. "Just because they send in an application does not mean they will get money," he pointed out.

"We have to follow some specific guidelines and we don't have unlimited funds to offer. The money has to go to organizations which, in turn, will use the money for senior citizen services."

Deneke said the board wants to maintain a high level of integrity in its decision process. "We don't want anyone to think any one organization is going to have favoritism," he said.

The board's next meeting will be held Sept. 24 at 6:30 p.m. in the county's administrative office building in Jackson.