Our Place organizers ask commissioners for levy funds
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STEUBENVILLE -- A week after UPMC executives told Jefferson County commissioners they're prepared to oversee the Prime Time senior program, organizers of the Our Place program asked commissioners for a big chunk of the county senior service’s levy's near $2.2 million-a-year revenue pool to fund it.
Our Place organizers Judy Owings and Cynthia Morris told commissioners Thursday they'd like to expand transportation services, particularly to shuttle seniors to service sites as well as out-of-town medical appointments.
The all-volunteer organization offers socialization opportunities for seniors along with a slate of programs and activities, including health education, screenings and a Parkinson's Support Group. Participants currently pay a flat, $25 annual fee plus $3 per meal. None of the staff is paid, Owings said.
"We have dedicated volunteers every day and we've done a great deal with very limited resources," Owings said. "But the need is much greater than what goodwill alone (can) sustain, so levy funding would allow us to strengthen our current programs and reach more seniors throughout Jefferson County and also pursue additional grant opportunities."
The Prime Time program had been overseen by Tri-State Health Services prior to UPMC's takeover. The women said the changes at UPMC Trinity put that in question "because of how the wording is, so it's actually up to y'all to decide how the funding will be dispersed."
"We're more than willing to give you a resolution to put it on the ballot, but it's kind of a territory no one's been in before," Owings said. "...We're not asking for all the money, we just want a portion of it."
Asked how much they were asking for, Morris said she'd been working on a budget and said they're looking at "about $600,000 a year."
"I know you're passionate 100 percent and I appreciate it," Commissioner Tony Morelli said. "But for me, I try to look at everything as a business. Doesn't it make sense we let the new owner get (the lay of the land)?…I just think they need to get their (footing)."
"I don't think it's a competition, we should work together," Morris said. She and Owings also admitted, however, that they hadn't tried to arrange a meeting with the UPMC executives prior to coming to the commissioners for levy funding.
"We're saying we want to be part of the conversation, we're willing to work with anybody," she said. "We can all do this together, we all could have our own little specialty kind of thing that we do."
Commissioner Jake Kleineke pointed out UPMC executives "seem committed to continuing the service, they seemed excited."
"Maybe we can open up a dialogue with you all and them, and get you guys together," he suggested.
The women asked commissioners "to have an open mind" when they make their decision.
"We're not asking for anything we don't want to work for, we're not (saying) don't give (any) to them and give it to us... Whatever you decide to do, we just want to be part of the conversation."
"There's a lot more to be talked about with this," Commissioner Eric Timmons conceded. "But I would think most people who supported the levy envisioned that money going to Prime Time."
Timmons said if the levy was in the name of Tri-State Health Services, "then most people if they voted for that levy, they thought it would go to that entity. Now that entity, I understand your point, ceased to exist but for the most part, I think they thought that would go to that entity as well."
Morris and Owings said over the past three years they've had some seniors tell them they thought Our Place was already getting levy funding.
"The thing is, we just felt if we don't speak up now, how can we speak up later?" Owings said. "We just kind of wanted to put all the cards on the table and say, 'Where do we (stand) ... one of our main concerns in this transition was this was something Jefferson County voters voted on and with all the changes in health care and businesses, does that mean that they levy just goes from one institution to another? I think that needs clarity."
"My biggest thing right now is we've got a new owner, let's let them unpack their clothes," Morelli said, pointing out that if they were to redirect levy funds to Our Place it would impact the Prime Time services. Morelli also voiced some concern that other senior service entities might follow suit.
A UPMC Trinity spokesman could not be reached Thursday evening for comment on the request or how it might impact the Prime Time program.