With Marion County about to make big changes to the way it provides meals for senior citizens, the Knoxville Senior Center has decided to go it alone.

At Tuesday’s meeting of the Marion County Board of Supervisors, the center submitted a proposal seeking to take over using the county-owned kitchen equipment on their premises in the basement of Knoxville City Hall, and to operate its own congregate meal service independently of the county.

Board members and clients of the center showed up in force at the last board meeting, saying they prefer the food service they receive now. The county wants to use the Christian Opportunity Center for food preparation and delivery; food would be prepared in its own kitchens, and delivered by its staff to current meal sites or to homes via Meals on Wheels.

Shelly Braley is director of the senior center; she tells KNIA/KRLS News a big reason why their clients want the status quo is because they don’t just want access to meals — they want to be able to see and meet with each other.

“The socialization’s a big one; the socialization and the aspect of the people wanting to go out into the community instead of being closed into their homes or apartments,” Braley says.

The center is hoping the county will either donate the kitchen equipment, or sell it for a token price of $1; in any case, they would pick up where the county leaves off on April 1st, obtaining their own food and providing their own meals for service in the Senior Center. Volunteers will also be sought, to continue home deliveries via Meals on Wheels.

The Board of Supervisors did give authorization to go ahead with the Christian Opportunity Center plan, to begin food service in the Pella area next month and eventually expand to other locations in the county.

The Board of Supervisors convened earlier than usual, at 8:00 a.m. instead of 9:00 a.m. They spent much of the morning and afternoon on the budget, hearing funding requests from the various county departments.