Saline County Commission Reshuffles Outside Agency Funding, Cutting Regional Aging Agency Funding

Saline County commissioners reached a consensus during a July 28 study session to redirect outside agency funding, sharply cutting the North Central Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging and adding money for other organizations.

County Administrator Matt Stiles said the county received about $391,000 in requests from outside agencies, with a review committee recommending roughly $285,000 in allocations. Commissioners heard appeals at a prior meeting from United Way, which requested $10,000, and Safe Families for Children, which requested $10,000, neither of which had been recommended by the committee.

Commissioners expressed frustration that the North Central Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging, whose recommended allocation was $40,000, had not provided requested information about its funding formula and services benefiting Saline County residents—an issue they said had also occurred the prior year. Commissioner Grevas said she saw little value in the services for county residents.

By consensus, commissioners agreed to reduce the aging agency's funding from $40,000 to $10,000, with several noting the county is the largest member in the agency's affiliation and that a smaller payment would keep the county "a player" while signaling concern. The freed-up $30,000 was directed as $10,000 each to Safe Families, United Way's relief fund, and the county's Department of Senior Services.

Commissioners left the review committee's other recommendations intact, including a recommended $125,000 for OCCK, which had requested $198,000. Commissioner Hay said he would have preferred cutting OCCK to $100,000, criticizing what he described as a lack of fundraising, but no change was made. Commissioners noted the county previously funded OCCK at higher levels, including $500,000 in past years.

Stiles noted that none of the outside agencies currently have agreements or reporting requirements with the county, and commissioners said they were open to revising the process next year to require outcome data.