Verndale City Council: Verndale DAC struggles with financial losses and needed repairs
by Trinity Gruenberg
The Verndale City Council held their regular meeting on Monday, July 8. Mayor Tara Erckenbrack was absent.
Verndale Grocery and
Treasures Too
Rose Bakke with the Wadena County DAC had planned to talk to the councils in the spring to inform them who they are, how they are funded, and what they do. They began in 1973 and were incorporated in 1975. The Verndale store was opened in 2012. Before the pandemic, they had 60 clients. They currently have 35, and income comes from waivers from the county or the state, and that income is $797,285.29 per year.
Income from job sites, such as cleaning city hall and working in various places in Sebeka, Menahga, and Wadena, is $14,581 annually. The Treasure Trove in Sebeka is a thrift store and brings in $66,125.79 per year. The Verndale Store has groceries and thrift items and brings in $43,802.75 per year.
Total income for this past fiscal year is currently $921,795. This pays for all the DAC bills, wages for clients and staff, trips they take clients on, which are state and federally mandated to get clients out into the community, supplies, programming fees, transportation, and maintenance fees.
The Verndale Store’s roof has been patched over the years and needs replacement. The freezers are from 1975, and they no longer make parts for them, and they are leaking. The flooring needs to be replaced.
The Department of Human Services (DHS) did an inspection in the spring, but they did not like the electrical system and wished for it to be replaced throughout the building....
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