by Scott McClallen
A town of about 300 people in rural Michigan received $12.5 million from the Michigan Legislature to build a senior center.
The money was allocated from the budget approved last summer. Now, the Alcona County Commission on Aging plans to build a complete community hub in Lincoln, consisting of the senior center, housing, and recreation facilities to encourage younger people to interact with seniors.
At issue is whether building housing falls outside the purview of the nonprofit group that serves seniors, how much the project should cost, and what exactly the project should entail.
Board Director Dr. Robert Turek said spending plans include $10.5 million for the center, $6.5 million for housing, and $2.9 million for the recreational facilities.
Turek said there was a “wish list” to build a business incubator, a food pantry, and a roughly 11,000 square foot garage for AACOA vehicles. However, at the same cost per square foot as the community center, the additions could raise the cost by $3 million.
“That would put us even further behind moneywise, that we don’t have,” Turek said in a phone interview with The Center Square.
The project frequently asked questions page says an April 2022 cost estimate of between $22-$33 million is wrong, which accounted for a 45,000 square foot community center, housing, outdoor amenities, a farmers market, Veteran Affairs offices, community offices for Michigan works, MSU Extension, the Village of Lincoln, and other community partners.
The project includes a 30,000-square-foot community center, a 10-unit senior townhome development, 16 multi-family units a playground, a splash pad, shuffleboard, and tennis and pickleball courts, according to a Youtube presentation.
Former State Sen. Jim Stamas successfully pushed the project funding through in a $1 billion pork spending spree in last summer’s omnibus bill. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the bill into law in July 2022.
Some group members want to build a community center, while others worry it could jeopardize the group’s nonprofit tax status.
“If we do something that is not in our bylaws we risk losing our 501(c)3 tax exemptions,” The Detroit News reported Turek saying at a meeting. “Building housing is not in our bylaws. I’m concerned we’re jeopardizing our tax-exempt status.”
The board of directors has scheduled a Jan. 24 vote for the development.
Currently, the community center is scheduled to begin first in the order of operations, followed by senior housing.
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Scott McClallen is a staff writer covering Michigan and Minnesota for The Center Square. A graduate of Hillsdale College, his work has appeared on Forbes.com and FEE.org. Previously, he worked as a financial analyst at Pepsi.
Photo “Senior Recreation” by Seattle Parks and Recreation. CC BY 2.0.
