Agenda

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City Council Regular Meeting

Meeting Date:

12/13/2022

BACKGROUND

Staff is proposing the creation of the Schertz Senior Citizen Emergency Expense Support Program to assist residents of the City who senior citizens and through no fault of their own find themselves in need of assistance. Staff often directs these residents to non-profits, community organizations or other government entities for assistance. At times there is no other group that is able to provide assistance.

Currently, the City supports some assistance programs through financial support - the Guadalupe County Medical Prescription Assistance Program. The City also provides staff support - Love Where You Live. Finally, the City provides some direct services - the Senior Center Meal Program. The Weatherization Assistance Program provided by the Alamo Area Council of Governments was helpful to review for staff in developing this proposal.

Staff is proposing to pilot this program using $10,000 from the Contingency fund. Staff commits to briefing Council on the program at the Summer budget retreat in order to extend the program beyond this fiscal year. To be eligible the applicant has to be a resident of Schertz, the funding would have to be for a property they own that is their primary residence. The Priority is given to residents needing assistance due to some interaction with the City where the resident was not at fault and the City was not necessarily liable.

GOAL

Establish a program to support senior citizens who find themselves in need due to an unexpected unusual situation that could be relatively easily remedied by a small intervention from the City. This program is intended to supplement the efforts of local nonprofit and civic organizations who provide services and assistance and support.

COMMUNITY BENEFIT

Allows a resolution to a problem that would otherwise create suffering and hardship for elderly residents and would also often consume a significant amount of city staff time, energy and resources to deal with the issue but not resolve it.

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDED ACTION

Approval of Resolution 22-R-132 creating the Schertz Senior Citizen Emergency Expense Support Program.

FISCAL IMPACT

As noted above staff is going to operate this as a test program and will discuss with Council in the future if the program is proposed to extend beyond this fiscal year and use more than $10,000 for the initial test phase that will be funded from Contingency.

RECOMMENDATION

Approval of Resolution 22-R-132.

Attachments
REs 22 R 132