KEMMERER — The Kemmerer Senior Center Board met last month, addressing key issues including transportation policies and financial planning.

During the discussion on transportation, board president Jay Buck expressed his opinion that the current transportation policy did not require changes. However, fellow board member Jean Wakefield voiced a different perspective, stating that she believed the cab company needs to be removed from the policy because there is no longer a cab company in town.

Senior Center Executive Director Christy Killian clarified that discrepancies existed in the policy book, with different forms containing varying information. However, she assured the board that the latest transportation policy specifies a service radius of five to 15 miles for senior transportation.

Killian emphasized this by saying, “We cannot take vans out of the state.”

One challenge raised by Killian was the issue of bus drivers being on the road for extended periods — sometimes four to five hours — without relief, due to staffing shortages. She reported that after discussions with the Wyoming Department of Transportation, she learned that the center’s transportation grant funding is set at about $26,000 for the fiscal year. She cautioned the board about the importance of staying within budget to avoid financial strain.

Following the discussion, the board voted to accept the new transportation policy.

The meeting then shifted focus to financial matters. As the board works toward improved organization, Buck requested that Killian provide a calendar detailing the due dates of various grants.

Killian also informed the board that she had been in contact with Commissioner Kent Connelly regarding potential funding for the senior center. After submitting a letter to the commissioners, she reported receiving a positive response. As a result, the center was granted $15,000 in funding, with the stipulation that $5,000 must be repaid at an unspecified future date.

The Kemmerer Senior Center Board continues to address operational challenges while striving to maintain essential services for the community’s senior residents.