Issaquah revisits city-run senior services

The Issaquah City Council terminated the city's contract with Issaquah Valley Seniors Feb. 1, but the nonprofit holds a lease on the senior center building through 2022.

By Daniel Nash • February 19, 2016 2:20 pm

The Issaquah City Council is preparing to consider the possibility of creating a city-operated senior citizen services department. A quorum of the council voted unanimously Tuesday night to refer a plan developed by staff late last year to the March 8 Services and Safety Committee meeting for further consideration.

Originally developed as an alternative during negotiations over Issaquah Valley Seniors’ 2016 funding contract to operate the city senior center, the so-called “Senior Services Reinvestment Plan” was placed on the back burner after the City Council voted Dec. 21 to continue working with the controversy mired nonprofit under several conditions, including an audit.

On Feb. 1, council members changed their mind and voted to revoke the contract, bringing the reinvestment plan back into consideration.

“Our vision is for every senior in the Issaquah community to have access to community resources and services,” Mayor Fred Butler said.

Under the plan developed by staff in December, the city would take the $164,000 earmarked for senior center funding and its audit and reinvest it into senior services staff and programming.

Fitness classes were identified as an early program that can be implemented, but other programs would be developed through a community engagement process over the spring and summer.

In addition to existing funding, the City Council would need to allocate anywhere between $56,140 and $146,133 to meet the plan’s needs.

The city has retained consultant Tamsen Spengler to assist staff in developing the plan, Human Services and Social Sustainability Coordinator Martha Sassorossi said.

If the council moves ahead on self-operated senior services, city staff may not be able to use their existing senior center building. Issaquah Valley Seniors currently holds a lease on the building at 75 NE Creek Way through 2022.

On Feb. 10, senior center Executive Director Courtney Jaren launched a GoFundMe campaign seeking $99,000 to continue operations without city funding. That amount represents 44 percent of the center’s annual budget, Jaren said.