Funding restored for Perryville, Altenburg senior centers

Editor's Note: The amounts of funding cut from the Perryville Senior Center and the East Perry County Senior Center in Altenburg have been clarified below.

After seven months of uncertainty, the Perryville Senior Center Board received the news its funding had been reinstated -- a relief for which it has been patiently awaiting.

In January, $55,000 in planned cuts were applied to multiple not-for-profit organizations overseen by the Perry County Senior Service Tax Commission.

The Perryville Senior Center and the East Perry County Senior Center in Altenburg, Missouri, were two organizations that had $20,000 cut out of their budgets. At the last meeting in April, a decision was scheduled to be made but was postponed because not enough information was available.

On July 8, the Perry County Senior Service Tax Commission met and decided to reinstate the proposed 15 percent cuts but did not award any additional funds.

Chairwoman Junita Zahner of the commission explained the process for supplying funding and that it is based on a sales tax.

"In April 2008, Perry County residents voted on Proposition B. This proposition was to add a one-fourth of a cent on the sales tax. The proposition passed, resulting in the tax revenue being divided in half. That meant that one-eighth of a cent went to programs for the Perry County seniors and one-eighth of a cent went to programs for Perry County youth," Zahner stated via email.

"Each year we make a budget to know how much we have available to help the seniors for that given year. Our available money fluctuates with the county's sales and we have to make adjustments accordingly. ... In the case of the 15 percent cut, we proactively made a decision to cut the existing grants. Sales improved, we got more money in the coffers, and we felt it was safe to reinstate the cut funds."

Staffing cuts and reduced hours were what previous Perryville Senior Center Board chairman Eugene Dreyer suggested if the cuts went through.

Between 60 and 125 meals are served daily at the Perryville location and between 25 and 30 are served at the Altenburg location, according to previous reports.

"Most grant recipients were very grateful their full grant was restored and expressed those sentiments," Zahner stated.

The tax commission is different from the Perryville Senior Center Board in the commission determines the distribution of the tax funds collected, while the board oversees the running, budget, purchases and day-to-day activities of the two senior centers.

smaue@semissourian.com

388-3644

Perryville Senior Center, 4 N. Spring St., Perryville, Mo.

East Perry County Senior Center, 200 Church St., Altenburg, Mo.