Seniors Turn Out In Force At Commission Meeting

(Cleveland)- The White County Commissioners were confronted with a room full of senior citizens, at Monday's  regular monthly meeting, who wanted the board to know they are frustrated with the way they are handling the expansion of the heavily used Senior Center. 

The commissioners have been wrangling with this issue for  almost 3 years.  The commissioners said they would provide $250-thousand dollars for the project, but when architectural drawings came in the cost of the project doubled and the commissioners have been scrambling to find additional funds.  They recently voted to apply for a $250-thousand dollar grant-loan, but those funds  won't be available until at least the end of the year.
 
White County Senior Center Director Bonnie York says they thought the money was already there, with SPLOST money, funds from the sale of property to  DOT and leftover funds from construction of the county animal shelter.
  
Commission Chairman Travis Turner told the seniors during the meeting they are aware of their feelings, but they don't have an answer to the situation.  The commissioners instructed County Manager Carol Jackson to work with Director York and Architect George Hlavenka  to check out all the cost involved and look for other possible sources of funding  to move the project ahead.