Four Months After Other Washtenaw County Cities, Milan’s Senior Center Awarded Funding

EDITOR’S NOTE:  This article is part of a series looking at ways being a border city impacts Milan, Michigan.

At their Wednesday Nov. 19 meeting, which extended well past 1 a.m., the Washtenaw County Commissioners allocated an annual $128,000 to the Milan Seniors for Healthy Living, hired a new Director of Aging Services to administer the more than $11 million from the Older Persons Millage and granted one-time funding for nutrition programs for seniors.

Senior Center Funding

In June, the Commission distributed $200,000 each to ten Washtenaw County centers that serve seniors, including Saline, Ypsilanti, Manchester, Dexter, Chelsea, Ann Arbor, Pittsfield, Northfield, Ypsilanti Township and Lincoln Golden Ages senior centers.

Milan was the only city in Washtenaw County not to have their senior center included because the city is split between two counties and the senior center sits on the Monroe County side of the border.

However, according to the 2020 Census 64 percent of Milan residents live and pay taxes in Washtenaw County. Milan Seniors for Healthy Living also serves seniors from surrounding areas of Washtenaw County, including York Township and some residents from Augusta Township. As a result, the commission determined to give 64 percent of the $200,000 other centers received to Milan’s center.

Commissioner Yousef Rabhi said at the meeting he is still not happy with the approach the commission is using to determine how millage funds are allocated. He said he supported the Milan Senior Center being added because so much thought had gone into studying that, but with a new director hired he would like a better methodology for how new centers are added or taken off the list of those which receive funds.

New Director of Aging Services

County Administrator Gregory Dill announced Shannon Effler as the Director of Aging Services. She will oversee the Office of Aging Services the commissioners created in July to allocate the millage funds. Effler’s salary will be $142,507.30 a year.

Effler joined the meeting on Zoom and said she would prioritize equity, community engagement, data driven decision making, and strong financial oversight.

“As a social worker I lead with heart and bring extensive experience serving older adults,” she said, later adding, “I view this position as an opportunity to build an efficient department while also positioning Washtenaw County as a trail blazer in innovative aging well practices. So, not only being a premier destination for aging in Michigan, but in the nation.”

Emergency Nutrition Funding

At the Nov. 19 meeting the commissioners also funded $108,750 in one-time emergency nutrition needs in the county, supporting existing Meals on Wheels and Senior Cafe programs.

Milan Seniors for Healthy Living will receive $5,833 of that money to support its Meals on Wheels program. Recent numbers show Milan provided 5,063 (78 percent of meals distributed by Milan) meals in Washtenaw County and 1,426 (22 percent) to Monroe County Seniors.

Commissioner Jason Maciejewski said he’s excited to work with the new director of aging services and suggested they start by coming up with a plan for senior nutrition.

“I’m supporting this resolution tonight, but I’m not a particular fan of this kind of shotgun approach,” he said. “It is short term. It is needed in the community right now. But, I would like to see us have a strategic plan for this.”

Overall Spending

So far, the county has allocated less than half of the $11,218,819.54 brought in by the .5 mill levy passed by voters in November 2024. Their expenditures included:

• $2 million to the ten senior centers to initially receive funding 
• $128,000 for Milan Seniors for Healthy Living
• $999,999 divided amongst WAVE, People’s Express and Jewish Community Services for transportation
• $600,000 to Food Gatherers
• $910,834 for the Senior Nutrition Program (housed in the Office of Aging Services)
• $200,000 – Senior Crisis Intervention Program (through the Barrier Busters program)
• $44,164 – Emergency Capital

Washtenaw County Deputy Director Andrew DeLeeuw said the funds do roll over from year to year.