Gabe Stark/Staff Photo
Trenton’s North 65 Senior Center.

Gabe Stark
The Trenton Telegraph

At the recent city council meeting, the spotlight was on the North 65 Senior Center as Director Karen Otto and Board President Gary Shedd delivered a sobering presentation about funding challenges that threaten the center’s operations in 2026. The North 65 Senior Center, which serves hundreds of older adults in Grundy County, has been a cornerstone for congregate and home-delivered meals, wellness checks, and community activities. Now, it faces drastic funding cuts that could reshape its services.

“At the end of October, we received a very disturbing letter saying our funds would be cut by 75%.” Otto said. “Trenton’s contract with the Area Agency was $205,000. That’s a lot of money gone.” She detailed how the cuts stem from overspending by previous leadership at the regional agency, compounded by the recent federal government shutdown. “It’s what they call a perfect storm: the government shutdown, inexperienced staff at Young at Heart, a big leadership change, and an incorrect budget that neither they nor the state caught. So here we are with the consequences.”

While the final cuts are less severe than initially feared, they remain significant:

“Our congregate meal reimbursement was cut by 50%, and the home-delivered by 65%. I’m figuring a reduction of over $71,000.” The senior center now faces difficult choices, including reducing meal prep from 150 to 120 per day and considering changes to frozen meal delivery to save costs.

“Our meals currently cost us close to $10 each to prepare. We’re going to try to adhere more strictly to required portion control servings,” Otto said, emphasizing the importance of maintaining quality while adapting to the new financial reality.

The center, which runs seven meal delivery routes with 35 regular volunteers, serves as much more than just a meal provider. Otto said, “Not only, you know, just the food, but sometimes that volunteer delivery person is the only person that that client sees all day, right? And, you know, it’s also a form of a wellness check.”

Despite the hardship, Otto and Shedd were clear: “We are not planning any staff cuts at this time. We may go to a seasonal building closing time—currently 3 p.m.—and through the winter, may lock the doors earlier, though I’ll still be there until 3.”

Council members expressed strong support for the senior center and discussed the importance of advocating at the state and federal levels for restored funding. With the council requesting that the Mayor make inquisitions to help support the center.

Otto ended her presentation with a call to action for the community:

“If you think of ways we can bring in more money, let me know. We have a small reserve to fall back on, but I think as good stewards, we need to rely on the community for donations and use some, but not all, of our reserve.”

As the senior center navigates this critical juncture, community members are encouraged to support through donations, volunteering, and participation in fundraising events like bingo. Shedd said, “There’s some angels out there that always appear. And this time, we need a few more angels, and it’s a pretty deep hole.

In addition to the in-depth presentation from the North 65 Senior Center, the remainder of the city council meeting addressed a variety of regular and new business items:

The meeting began with routine approvals of previous minutes and payment of bills, both of which were passed unanimously.

Departmental reports included updates on ongoing local projects, such as continued work on city wayfinding signs and news that the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) is putting up a billboard on Highway 36 to promote tourism in Trenton. There was also mention of preparations for next summer’s soccer events, expected to impact the local economy.

The council discussed and tabled an ordinance regarding water service lines, which would clarify property owner responsibilities for water lateral maintenance and replacement. The issue is driven by federal mandates to inventory and eventually replace lead and galvanized service lines, primarily in older parts of the city. Council members expressed concerns about the financial burden on property owners and asked for more information before proceeding. The ordinance will be reconsidered after further research.

Council approved bids for asphalt rock and sand, with discussion focusing on the merits of different suppliers, delivery costs, and quality control. The council chose to continue a longstanding relationship with Norris Quarries for both materials and will handle hauling bids separately.

Two proposals from RS Electric for upgrades at the city’s wastewater plant and water plant were approved. The upgrades, involving new motor control centers and replacement of a frequency drive, were deemed essential to ensure reliable operations, despite their impact on the year’s remaining capital budget.

The meeting concluded with no unfinished business and moved into a closed session.