As Senior Millage Reserves Rise, County Looks to Expand Services

Washtenaw County is preparing to begin awarding grants from its voter-approved Older Persons Millage as millions of dollars in funding continues to accumulate, county officials told service providers during a June 16 town hall.

Senior service agency leaders from across the county met at the Washtenaw County Commission on Aging Town Hall at Ypsilanti Community Health Center. The packed gathering provided an update on how the county’s newly created Office of Aging Services, led by Shannon Effler, is allocating the .5-mill levy approved by voters in November 2024 to support residents 60 and older.

“Ageism – the discrimination against older adults – is very real. That equates too often in how we allocate resources on the federal level and the local level,” Effler said, “We are very lucky here in Washtenaw County where we have an older persons’ focused millage.”

The millage equates to roughly $12 million a year and unspent funds roll over each year.

“It’s a significant amount of money,” Effler said. “It will not save the world, but it will have an impact.”

Future Spending

The townhall was organized to gather community feedback on budget priorities as the county begins its RFI and RFP process. This month, the county will open a six-week request for information titled “Strengthen and Coordinate Services for Older Adults.”

“We encourage all entities serving older adults to consider responding,” Effler said. “The RFI is being issued to gather the information necessary to shape the upcoming Older Persons millage RFP process. Insights from providers and stakeholders will help clarify unmet needs, avoid duplication, strengthen coordination, and ensure that the future RFP is well designed, transparent, and responsive to the realities of aging and aging services in Washtenaw County.”

In September, a request for proposals will open for four weeks. Awards will be recommended to the County Commissioners who will have the final say on what contracts to issue in November.

In addition, an RFP will be released in the fall for transportation funding starting in January 2027. Current contracts to provide free transportation for county adults 60+ extend through this December.

The Office for Aging is currently conducting strategic planning to identify the vision for senior nutrition in the county.

Spending

At the end of 2025, the county had spent less than half of the $11.2 million generated by the millage during its first year. Unspent funds rolled into 2026, when an additional $12.24 million became available.

High Priority Allocations

Beyond the upcoming RFP process, the county has designated several categories as “high priority allocations,” that receive annual funding, including senior centers, transportation, nutrition programs, and crisis intervention services. Those include:

• $2 million ($200,000 each) to the ten senior centers to initially receive funding, both in 2025 and 2026
• $128,000 for Milan Seniors for Healthy Living (based on percent of Washtenaw County residents), both in 2025 and 2026
• $999,999 divided amongst WAVE, People’s Express and Jewish Community Services for transportation through March 2026; and an additional $1.5 million divided amongst the three through the end of 2026.
• $910,834 for the Senior Nutrition Program through March 2026; $1,132,000 for April through September 2026. Strategic planning is underway for funding starting in Oct. 1.
• Senior Crisis Intervention Program (3% annual allocation, with unspent funding rolling over)
•  Emergency Capital (5% annual allocation, with unspent funding rolling over)

Organizations that receive high priority allocations can also apply for RFPs for additional funding.

Agency Feedback

Agencies described services they already provide and urged the county to use millage funding to strengthen existing programs rather than duplicate them.

At the meeting, a panel of agency leaders who received funding shared how the millage has benefitted them.

Yvonne Cudney, associate director of outreach and education at Housing Bureau for Seniors, discussed efforts to provide safe and affordable housing for seniors.

“Adults 65 and older are the fastest growing group of people experiencing homelessness across the country right now,” Cudney said.

Marie Gress, executive director of WAVE, said the millage funding accounted for 50% of the rides they provided to Western Washtenaw County.

“A ride means much more than getting from point A to point B,” said Gress. “It’s about access to opportunity, access to connection, access to medical care.”

Nichole Passmore, recreational coordinator at Ypsilanti Township Center, said the funding led to the purchase of two new pool tables, four cross training bikes, two new treadmills, seatbelts on their buses, and that they are working to install a new sound system.

Joyce Blair, program manager at the Ypsilanti Senior Center, said the center closed March 14, 2025, after a pipe burst and county funding helped it rebuild and reopen Jan 12.

Markell Lewis Miller, director of community food programs at Food Gatherers, said they received a $100,000 allocation, which proved useful when the federal government canceled some food deliveries last year.

“About money getting out into the community, that is what today is about,” Effler said. “If you are walking away from today and feeling like money is not getting out to agencies and services and we haven’t done a good job, I think we did a great job in showing everything that is happening and there is a lot more to come.”

Learn More:

• On July 27^th at 1 p.m. Washtenaw County Commissioner Jason Maciejewski will host another townhall at the Dexter Senior Center to celebrate its one-year anniversary. Effler will attend to answer questions about the millage.
• View the recording of the Town Hall at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQ6tTskb4-M