Comanche Council looking for solutions for Nutrition Center
Jan. 12—COMANCHE — Last month, Comanche City Manager Chuck Ralls knew a discussion needed to take place in regards to the Nutrition Center. Ralls hopes his presentation will help find solutions regarding the operation while delaying a full decision.
Ralls and the Council spent 25 minutes talking about the financials of the Nutrition Center, which is operating on a negative budget due to rising food costs and low attendance.
Currently in the 2022-2023 Fiscal Year, Ralls reported revenue numbers came in at $5,450.77 while expenses totaled $39,988.78, which leaves a negative net value of $19,652.69, according to the treasurer's report.
One of the residents attending the meeting asked for some background on the center. Ralls said in October 2016, ASCOG voted to defund the center and transfer funds to support other programs.
Ralls said the the city fought to keep the facility funded, but it failed and they lost all Title 3 money and now receive no federal aid.
Since the city took over the operations, they have self funded it and received grants, hosted fundraisers and secured sponsors to offset costs.
Some of those sponsors have been lost over the last few months, according to Ralls, who said the price went up to $5 a meal, wich was raised for the first time since 2019.
Currently, the revenue from the CENA Grant is at $3,242.77, but Ralls stated this is the first reimbursement since June 2022. Donations are currently at $2,675.
Meals of people who have come in brings the final revenue, which currently sits at $14,418.32 for a total of $20,336.09 at the time of the meeting.
With pending reimbursements of $4,222.66 from CADC and $3,600 from CENA, the cash position will go positive at $1,146.19, according to Ralls.
At this time, there are only three individual sponsors for meals by name on a monthly basis at $80 a month, which is down from 11 individuals who were sponsored pre-COVID.
Ralls also reported that donations are down. As of 2019, they had over $17,000 in donations, however those have steadily declined and over the past six months, they have only received $2,175 in donations.
Some of the grants they receive are based on attendance. Ralls said that is going down as well due to deaths and other issues and with rising food costs, this created the financial problems.
Other costs have gone up as well and Ralls said that currently the $5 per meal is really not covering the costs that are rising, which include labor, food costs and other variables.
One of the other residents present at the meeting asked how many people are benefiting from this service. Ralls stated it was hard to determine, but estimates about 12-15 people, who if they didn't get the meal would go hungry.
Ralls stated if they could get 38 paying participants, it could help make it a viable program and break even on the financial side of things.
The Council decided to take no action and see if people could get more involved with the Nutrition Center. As a result, Council tabled it until the new fiscal year to take a look at a set of full fiscal year data.
Mayor Smoky Dobbins and the rest of the council agrees it is a vital program and agreed with Ralls' opinion on keeping it as is through June 30.
Dobbins then asked everyone in attendance to please support the Nutrition Center and help matching grant money grow to help make it a viable option for meals.
Councilwoman Sharon Rounds also made a plea to the community to get involved and help those in need.
"Our community has always come together on stuff and I just can't see them abandon our elderly people," Rounds said. "Maybe we can get some of the businesses. I will talk to Bear Feathers and see if they will donate $80 a month to take care of one individual. You know what, I will donate my tips."
The meeting also featured a public hearing for the annexation of new land for city limits. A full story on the public hearing will publish in future editions of The Duncan Banner.
