Expenses threaten senior-housing facility

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March 2, 2009

<a href="mailto:avanvalkenburg@pressrepublican.com">By ANDREA VanVALKENBURG</a> The Press Republican Mon Mar 02, 2009, 10:39 AM EST

LYON MOUNTAIN — Mountain Top Senior Housing has been struggling financially in recent years.

Now, increased water rates have added to the burden.

Facility Board President Jean LeClair said the recent water increases and current sewer rates in Lyon Mountain may financially cripple the federally subsidized housing facility, which has been accommodating area seniors for nearly two decades.

RATES RISE

At Mountain Top, rent is based on a person’s income and assets. Residents pay rent and electricity, while the facility foots the bill for routine maintenance, plowing, fuel, water, sewage and other expenses.

So when the water rate jumped about $160 from last year’s $40 rate, LeClair said, it added to the mounting financial burden.

She said the board fundraises through the year to help offset expenses, but “there’s only so much we can do. And it’s been really tough.

“If the money’s not there, then there’s nothing we can do, and we can’t put that debt on the seniors.”

A grant secured by Sen. Betty Little (R-Queensbury) temporarily helped with past expenses, but that funding has run dry, and the facility’s rental income can’t cover it all, LeClair said.

She questioned the rate hike and why the facility can’t be given some relief by the town.

FAIR TO ALL

Though town officials expressed sympathy for Mountain Top’s financial situation, Town Supervisor Barbara Douglas said it has to be charged the same rate as everyone else.

She said it wouldn’t be fair to give exemptions to the facility at a time when everyone is struggling.

Douglas said every home and apartment is charged the same rate, even if it’s vacant, because the utilities are still connected and can be used at any time.

She said the hike was foreseen several years ago when the town starting drawing on reserve funds to temporarily lower the rates, with the community understanding that the normal rates would return when the reserve funds dried up.

Officials began slowly drawing on the water reserve in 2005, hoping it would keep rates as low as possible for years to come.

But at a budget hearing two years later, Douglas said, Lyon Mountain residents voiced strong opposition to the slower reduction and wanted an immediate drop.

The Town Council consented, leading to a drastic two-year decrease that depleted the reserve and brought the regular rates back this year.

She said the town has always tried to keep rates as low as possible and that the entire Town Council closely watches every penny being spent.

“In such precarious financial times, we feel as a board we do everything possible to monitor all spending throughout the township.”

E-mail Andrea VanValkenburg at:

avanvalkenburg@pressrepublican.com