The Licking County Board of Commissioners voted on July 9 to dissolve the Senior Citizens Levy Advisory Board because they want to modify the process reviewing and allocating Senior Levy funds.
According to the board's July 9 meeting agenda, the county receives tax revenue from a Senior Levy to provide or maintain senior citizen services or facilities. The board makes yearly allocations of those funds to various agencies and organizations that serve senior citizens. This action has followed the review of funding requests by the Senior Citizens Levy Advisory Board. The meeting agenda also states that the board will begin the process to modify how the Senior Levy funds are reviewed and allocated through a separate resolution once it has completed final details.
According to a March 9 Mount Vernon News article, the Senior Citizens Levy Advisory Board met on Feb. 5 to hear presentations from applicants seeking funding. The advisory board deliberated on those applications and presented its recommendations to the Board of Commissioners on Feb. 26, which were then adopted by the commissioners. The same article reports that Senior Levy funds are distributed quarterly in March, June, September, and December, with Job and Family Services Fiscal and Programmatic Services as an exception to that schedule.
The Board of Commissioners approved allocating nearly $6 million to 17 social groups and service providers for 2026, according to the Mount Vernon News article. The funding covers transportation, community centers, senior activity groups, and adult protective programs. The largest allocation goes to Licking County Aging Program at $4.88 million; other recipients include Catholic Social Services with more than $380,000 for Supportive and Transportation Services, LEADS with $243,750, Licking County Community Center with $117,000, and JFS Adult Protective Services.
The commissioners plan further action through a new resolution after finalizing details regarding changes in fund review and allocation.
