Numbers can be the most confusing aspect of any story. They can also tell the whole story on their own.
For the Independence Township Senior Center, numbers are a blessing and a curse. Every year the center attempts to create a balanced budget while adjusting for rising utility costs, increasing building maintenance and cutbacks. In addition, many numbers are invisible to the staff until the money is gone.
The sixth and final article in a series on the proposal for a new senior center and operational millage will look at the current center’s budget from several angles: how the budget is formed, where the money comes from, where the funds are spent and where the budget stands for this year.

How a budget is created
Every year, around July and August, department heads throughout Independence Township are given an idea of how much money they have to work with in a budget.
According to Parks and Recreation Director Mike Turk, he is notified by Finance Director Sue Hendricks whether his budget will remain status quo, go up or be reduced from the previous year.
‘We don’t receive an exact dollar amount of how much we’ll get from the general fund,? said Turk. ‘I usually have an idea based on whether I’m told to cut back and by what percentage.?
Once Turk knows which direction parks and recreation’s budget will go, he contacts Senior Center Director Margaret Bartos and lets her know similar information.
‘I tell her whether she has to stay the same or reduce and by how much,? said Turk. ‘Again, we don’t work with an exact revenue number, but we have an idea.?
Bartos said once she creates an initial request for her budget, she sends the information back to Turk in parks and recreation ? who then incorporates the proposed senior center budget into the overall parks and recreation budget.
‘He can make any changes he wants,? confirmed Bartos. ‘His job is to make sure the two budgets fit.?
According to Hendricks, once department heads complete their budget requests, the information is given to the supervisor’s office where everything is incorporated into one township budget.
At this point, the budget goes through a review process at the board level and a public hearing.
The final senior center budget is not approved until the proposed overall budget is accepted by the township trustees ? four steps after Bartos creates the request.

The revenues
The Independence Township Senior Center receives revenue from several sources: the general fund through Parks and Recreation, Community Development Block Grant Funds, fees, rentals, grants, donations and fund-raising efforts by the Senior Advisory Committee.
For 2006, Parks and Recreation received $1,005,500 from the general fund and an additional $362,000 from the department’s surplus. Of this amount, the senior center receives $273,700, or 20 percent of the funding for parks and recreation.
Also for this year, the township estimated Parks and Recreation to bring in a total of $877,000 in revenue. Of this amount, the senior center is estimated to contribute $185,700, or 21 percent of the revenues. In 2005, the center brought in $223,000.
‘The budget has stayed consistent since 2002,? said Turk, ‘however, we haven’t been getting funding for capitol and land improvements.?
According to Hendricks, the senior center’s expenditures for the year are set at $459,400. For the 2007 budget year, she expects departments to ‘continue the conservation of previous years.?

Where the money goes ? staffing
Bartos said 50 percent of her budget goes to senior center staffing. The center has four full-time employees and 16 part-time.
The full time employees include Bartos, a dispatcher/clerk and two drivers. Bartos makes $41,905; the clerk makes $36,120; and the two drivers make $11.12 and $12.26 an hour respectively.
The part-time employees break down as follows:
? three part-time drivers at $8-$8.90 an hour
? site hostess at $9.25 an hour
? outreach coordinator at $9.75 an hour
? four program assistants at $8-$8.95 an hour
? supervisor for home chore and cleaning at $9.90 an hour
? two sports site supervisors at $8.65 and $8.90 an hour
? four home chore cleaners/ senior center cleaners at $8-$8.95 an hour.
Many of the hourly wagers listed above are determined by union contract; however, some employees are paid through grant programs (such as nutrition grants). Their pay scales are determined through those grant programs.
For 2006, the center has almost $24,000 budgeted for health coverage, life insurance, retirement, workers compensation and disability.

Where the money goes ? building
Several account numbers are listed in the senior center budget for building maintenance and support. Examples include electric, heat, sewer, building and ground maintenance and equipment maintenance.
In the center’s expenditures for 2006, just over $36,000 is budgeted for building costs; however, Bartos said that is only part of the picture.
‘We don’t always see the costs of some building repairs and maintenance because they are done by the building and grounds crew and go straight to the finance department,? explained Bartos. ‘Also, sometimes a building expense for us is combined with something parks and rec needs done, so the money comes from one or the other.?
Turk confirmed that he also does not always see the cost of building maintenance for the senior center since the paperwork goes straight to the finance department.

Where the money goes ? programs
According to Bartos, the two largest programs at the senior center are the nutrition and transportation programs.
The nutrition program, some of which is paid for through grants, is budgeted at an expense of $39,000, not including salaries. The transportation program is budgeted at $12,400.
‘Our transportation program is growing every year,? said Bartos, who has numbers detailing a 58 percent increase in wheelchair riders to date over last year. ‘So far we have been providing rides on a donation basis, but financing won’t allow us to continue this.
‘We get two grants for the transportation, 57 percent of our incoming revenue comes from there, and our nutrition program is through the Older Persons Commission in Rochester. Still, those don’t cover all the costs.?

The bottom line
In the end, Turk said the senior center has run a net loss for the past few years. In 2005, the center had a net loss of $232,000; and for 2006 he anticipates a net loss of $273,700.
‘When the center experiences a net loss, the money comes out of the general fund,? said Turk. ‘Everything has to balance, so other things are cut.?
Hendricks said to date, the center has spent or committed $306,000 of the $459,400 expenditures budget ? 67 percent of the budget just over the half-year mark.
To help boost revenues for this year, Bartos said the center instituted a $1 drop-in fee for programs without a registration fee; increased the number of fund-raisers and strongly stresses the payment of requested donations for meals, rides and homechores.
‘Something will have to be done soon,? said Turk. ‘Parks and Recreation, as well as the senior center, can not continue this way.?

The Independence Township Board of Trustees and the Parks and Recreation Commission have discussed the need for a new senior center and operational millage steadily for almost a year.
For more information on where these plans stand, please see the front page story in this week’s issue.
To voice an opinion on the senior center ballot issues, please call 248-625-3770 or write a letter to the editor: shermanpub@aol.com, attn: Clarkston News or 5 S. Main St., Clarkston 48346.