Sweden officials pursue senior center meals changes

Sweden officials pursue senior center meals changes

Town of Sweden officials met with representatives from the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ABVI) to discuss the proposed switch in the Sweden Senior Center's meal program.

"There were concerns raised (at the October 24 budget hearing) on the town's proposed change to meal delivery and preparation at the center," Councilman Tom Ferris said. "Some concerns were qualitative in nature regarding the quality of the food that is prepared and delivered by ABVI."

Soggy vegetables were cited as an issue when the town announced it would no longer be preparing food on-site at its center.

"Because of that concern," Ferris said, "vegetables will be prepared at the site and served with the meal that ABVI delivers."

Meals will continue to be served and presented on the center's flatware. "Seniors will not be receiving 'box lunches,' presentation will remain the same."

Ferris said he, Town Supervisor Nat Lester and Center Director Nancy Duff met with county nutrition officials and ABVI personnel.

"We hammered them with questions on the quality of their meals," Ferris said. "We were assured that our seniors will receive a high quality, nutritious meal such as they've enjoyed for years."

Ferris said that in the past the chicken cordon bleu meal served at the center was prepared by ABVI and that ABVI had catered special events at the center.

"We were told meals were prepared no earlier than 30 minutes prior to delivery and that there is tracking in place to assure delivery is timely," he said.

At the October 24 meeting, Lester explained that the town would contract with ABVI to provide lunches through the center. "The center will continue to provide the same nutritious meals, we are just changing the way they are delivered," he said. "Sweden is the only town that cooks its meals on site. It makes sense, economically, to bring in the lunches."

The meals served through the center are under a nutrition program run through the Monroe County Office of the Aging. The meals would remain the same, down to the "last grain of salt," Lester said, because the menu is set by the county. Sweden currently prepares 100 meals on-site; 50 of those meals are catered for senior centers in Ogden, Parma and Riga; the remaining 50 meals are eaten at the Sweden Center, about half of those are consumed by non-Sweden residents. It currently costs $7 to prepare the meals, while the cost under ABVI will be $4 per meal. A suggested contribution of at least $2 per meal is requested, but not enforced. The town's Finance Director, Leisa Strabel, said the average collected in the past year was $1.72 per meal.

"In 2005, the meal program cost the taxpayers $50,000 and 75 percent of the meals prepared by the center are for people who do not live, or pay taxes, in Sweden," Lester said.

By contracting with ABVI, Lester said town officials are honoring their duties to the taxpayers of Sweden. "We wouldn't ask Sweden taxpayers for us to pave or plow the streets in another town but because of federal regulations we have to supply meals to other communities."

Lester stressed the fact that nothing else at the center would change and that five meals a week would be served. There would be no loss in programs or funding, however there will be a reduction in the kitchen staff once the switch to ABVI happens in January. "The seniors will continue to have access to healthy, nutritious lunches and be able to meet and have lunch with their friends while at the same time we are being fiscally responsible to those who pick up the tab - the Sweden taxpayers."

Following the meeting with ABVI, Ferris said, "The change makes even more sense. Any reservations we might have had on the quality of the food, its preparation and delivery was cleared up."

If the proposed budget is approved as presented, the change to ABVI would occur in January.