Senior center deed changes hands
Published 5:00 am Friday, June 28, 2013
The Deschutes County Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to turn over the La Pine Senior Activity Center to La Pine Senior Citizens Inc.
The county in 2004 received a $600,000 federally funded Community Development Block Grant to build a senior center in La Pine, naming the nonprofit La Pine Senior Citizens Inc. as the beneficiaries. The grant required the building be continually used as a senior center for five years in order to be turned over to the group.
“The grantor needed to be assured that the use for which the money was given was maintained for a certain period of time with no change in ownership,” said Teresa Rozic with the county Property and Facilities Department. “We have reached the point where we were given notice by the grantor that we have satisfied that obligation.”
The five-year continued-use agreement expired April 10, at which time the county’s obligation under state and federal requirements of the CDBG program expired. Hence, the decision to turn the property deed over to the La Pine Senior Citizens Inc.
“I discussed this with one of the members this morning and they’re very excited that this is the official transfer,” said Commissioner Tony DeBone. “As a senior center with active membership, this is pretty exciting. I know there is a dedicated group of people who are always fundraising for the center.”
Fundraisers include community dinners, taco bars, potato bars and selling other food items, said senior center board Chairwoman Lee Trudell.
“We’re self-supporting and don’t have a tax base down here,” she said. “We do earn money from membership fees, too, but all seniors are welcome here, regardless of whether or not they’re members.”
Trudell said it costs about $5,000 per month to keep the center running. They have two paid employees working in the kitchen, but everyone else at the senior center works on a volunteer basis.
Trudell said the acquisition of the deed from the county is exciting for the senior center, but that she doesn’t expect much will change.
“We have been responsible for the maintenance and upkeep on the building since it opened,” she said. “But now it is ours to do with what we please.”