CASSOPOLIS — Bob Cochrane, Cass County Council on Aging executive director, reviewed with the Board of Commissioners Thursday night his agency’s annual report accounting for how it spent almost $3 million in 2010.

“We had a very good year in a lot of ways,” Cochrane told commissioners, even turning Memorial Day flooding into a positive.

Revenues, of which county taxpayers furnish about half through property tax millage, total $3,221,998 ($1,641,715, or 51 percent), also come from grants ($409,480, or 12.7 percent), contributions ($630,299, or 19.6 percent), program fees ($385,029, or 12 percent), other (rental, miscellaneous, $44,809, or 1.4 percent) and interest on investments ($110,666, or 3.4 percent).

Expenses totaled $2,975,956 for a $246,042 change in net assets.

Total program expenses amounted to $2,821,660, with $154,296 attributed to management.

“Industrywide,” Cochrane said, “the standard for management expenses for non-profits is 25 percent, so if you keep it under that you’ve done a good job. Ours was 5.2 percent last year, so we’re extremely pleased with that.”

An expense breakdown shows: in-home care, $535,931 (19 percent), program support services, $462,320 (16.4 percent), food services/meals on wheels, $456,342 (16.2 percent), adult day and respite services, $361,384 (12.8 percent), communications, $177,412 (6.3 percent), resource development, $158,756 (5.6 percent), senior safety, $23,852 (0.8 percent), leisure enrichment, $504,563 (17.9 percent) and life enrichment, $141,100 (5 percent).

Cochrane highlighted four areas from the previous fiscal year.

Handy Helpers, which the COA trivia night April 30 benefits, helps make homes livable.

The program benefited from two grants.

The Pokagon Fund supported the building of wheelchair ramps throughout the Dowagiac area.

“Right now, I think we’re working on six,” he said.

A FEMA grant enabled COA to provide hundreds of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to seniors countywide.

In wellness, the first Zumba class started in January. The success of this fun fitness program led to offering additional classes.

COA’s first multiple sclerosis symposium was hosted in April.

In May, special programming celebrated National Senior Health and Fitness Day.

In 2010, the COA also introduced a computer assistance program to provide one-on-one instruction in addition to group computer classes.

COA offered an additional class on using Facebook and created its own page at www.facebook.com/CassCOA. A cribbage class was established. The monthly Messenger newspaper underwent a makeover.

Taking advantage of the need for repairs in the main building on Decatur Road at M-60 east of Cassopolis, the COA created a plan for better space utilization which will result in better community service.

“Last Memorial Day we were in the process of replacing the flat roof on the old part of the building,” Cochrane explained.

“In the process of stacking their materials, workers split open a seam and nobody noticed, so we had a big rain storm inside of the COA, water coming out of the ceiling and pretty significant damage. One office suite was inundated with about three inches of water on the floor.”

But officials had been discussing what happened next for several years.

“This allowed us to establish a place in the front of the building where our customers could meet with our staff. Right now, if you come out to talk with Adrienne Glover about health care, you have to walk all the way to the back of the building to sit down for a talk,” which can be difficult for its elderly clientele.

“We reconfigured space in the back,” Cochrane said, “to open up conference space in the front of the building. In the middle of the building we opened up a new information center” named for Marshall and Juanita Wickersham.

Service statistics show in-home care provided 140 clients more than 26,000 hours of assistance with bathing, eating and homemaker service to help maintain independence; 29 clients received 17,000 hours of service at COA adult day services facilities in Cassopolis; more than 1,600 older adults in Cass County received more than 47,000 meals prepared by the food services department; more than 450 people received assistance in obtaining Medicaid and Medicare benefits; and more than 150 seniors were transported on more than 6,500 trips to medical appointments and shopping.

Also, life enrichment programs, such as the Great Decisions discussion group, Brain Aerobics and The Legacy Circle were attended by more than 550 people.

More than 1,300 people came to the COA for more than 16,000 visits to participate in activities ranging from bingo to yoga and other fitness programs, as well as other leisure enrichment activities and events.

And, as reported earlier this week, COA is in the process of mounting a $350,000 capital campaign for the Dowagiac Senior Center being built in the former KFC building on N. Front Street across the parking lot from City Hall.

“This in no way replaces what we’re doing now” in Cassopolis, he said of the “satellite” center in Dowagiac, where services have been provided since 1994 — and presently primarily at First United Methodist Church.