Health department asks Grundy County for space to open senior center

At a regular meeting of the Grundy County Board of Health, a public health official said the health department is seeking space—rather than additional operating funds—to establish a senior center and expand behavioral-health services.

The request came during the department’s programmatic report when the official highlighted a strong turnout at a recent Senior Expo and partner support from Morris Hospital, the YMCA and local vendors. “We’re not asking for additional dollars when it comes to the senior center... I’m just asking for space,” the public health official said.

Senior programs staff reported program metrics to the board: about 95 participants attended the April senior event, staff conducted 58 home visits last month, logged 170 phone calls, served roughly 230 total clients and recorded 125 service activities. Staff said they collected surveys at the expo and will prepare a presentation with graphs and pictures to show county leaders.

The official said volunteers and partner organizations have offered letters of support to bolster the department’s request and that staff plan to present the compiled survey and proposal to the county board. No funding request was made at the meeting; the board did not take a formal vote on facility allocation during the session.

The department framed the proposal as an effort to use existing county space and community volunteer capacity to expand services for older residents. Board members asked clarifying questions about prior planning and whether capital improvements were on hold; staff said they had not received updates on capital-improvement funding.

The health department will present its survey and proposal to the county board as the next procedural step.