Edwards County Council on Aging (ECCOA) Board President Doug Raber and Executive Director April Campbell-Rickey made a presentation to the Edwards County Board on April 2, 2025. ECCOA is an non-profit organization that depends on funding from grants, and donations. They explained that ECCOA is operating at a $10,000 a month loss, and while they would like to keep operating as they have been, it is no longer sustainable. They asked if the County might be able to provide financial assistance. The County Board did not take any formal action at this meeting regarding the Edwards County Council on Aging.
Meeting Take Aways:
- ECCOA stated that their food costs have gone up 106% in the last ten years, and employee expenses have nearly doubled in the past five years due to the increase in Illinois’ minimum wage.
- ECCOA receives approximately $63,000 in federal grant funding, and $84,000 in state grant funding annually. Food costs alone were over $227,000 last year. Funding is not anticipated to increase for FY2026 or FY2027.
- They reported that the State suggested that if cuts to the program were necessary, residents outside of Albion could be placed on a ‘wait list,’ because their funding is based on the population of Albion. This explanation of the State’s funding formula was challenged by an Edwards County resident. The resident stated that ECCOA was recieving funding based on a population of 1,875, since the population of Albion is roughly 2,000, that would mean that Albion only has 125 people under the age of 60. He asserted that 1,875 is more likely the number of people over age 60 in all of Edwards County.
- The resident shared information that he had learned from federal tax filings that ECCOA had made in the past few years.
- That ECCOA reported a net income of $51,280 for FY2023 – not a loss.
- That ECCOA has over $400,000 in the bank.
- ECCOA responded that their income fluctuates from year to year, and that the increase in revenue was due to COVID funds. They need reserves to continue operating, as funding (cash flow) is not consistent through the year.
- The Edwards County Council on Aging purchased the Senior Center building in Fairfield (Wayne County). The ECCOA manages the program in Wayne County, and the building was purchased using donations. ECCOA does not own any of the buildings that it operates in Edwards County.
- The West Salem Senior Center is owned by the Village of West Salem, and leased to ECCOA at no charge. The Albion Senior Center is owned by the Edwards County Fairground Board. The Grayville Senior Center is owned by the City of Grayville.
- The Edwards County Board took no formal action. They asked for additional data – the number of meals served, and financial information from ECCOA. They will look into if they can legally give money to ECCOA. They also mentioned briefly the possibility of having a referendum to fund the program. ECCOA’s request for funding will be discuss it at the next County Board meeting.
- ECCOA will be making a presentation to the Albion City Council on Monday, April 7, 2025 at 7:00 PM.
- The next Edwards County Council on Aging (ECCOA) Board meeting is April 16, 2025 at 1:00 PM at the Senior Center in Albion.