The city of Marina is to receive a $1 million funding allocation from the state of California’s Department of Aging, with the help of Sen. John Laird, for the construction of a senior center in the city.
“Currently, the Rocky Han Community Center, located here on our civic center campus, is utilized at different times of the day as a senior center, youth center and activities center,” said Matt Mogensen, Marina assistant city manager. “For a number of years, the city has sought funding through sources such as (Community Development Block Grant) to develop a standalone senior center facility to meet the needs of the city’s active senior population.”
At its meeting last week, the Marina City Council voted to adopt a resolution to receive the $1 million funding allocation from the state and authorized the city’s finance director to make necessary accounting and budgetary entries for the funds.
Marina Councilwoman Cristina Medina Dirksen said that in the past, efforts to have a dedicated space have failed because the Rocky Han Community Center is a shared space and not dedicated to strictly senior use.
“Sen. Laird worked to secure funding for our city, and we are extremely grateful and thrilled to have $1 million from his efforts,” said Medina Dirksen. “Upon being notified late last year, our city recreation team immediately sent out a survey to all residents asking how we should use the funds and offered various ideas and scenarios.”
Medina Dirksen added that this funding allocation is huge for the city of Marina and she views it as “game-changing.”
Laird Press Secretary Justin Tran said the senator was thrilled to have worked with the city council and city staff to secure the appropriation.
“The senator has long been an advocate for senior care,” said Tran. “He was a champion for the California Master Plan on Aging … senior care and services for our seniors is something that he deeply cares about.”
Tran said Laird is happy to have the Marina City Council as partners to collaborate to make sure this funding is used for seniors in the city and thanked the council for its efforts.
Find the full article here: https://www.montereyherald.com/2024/01/22/marina-gets-1m-funding-alloca…