Senior Services

Board of County Commissioners

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There are four senior centers located in Skagit County in Sedro-Woolley, Anacortes, Burlington, and Sedro-Woolley which provide programming and meals to seniors. Community Action operates a community center in Concrete, which also offers meals and services to community members of all ages.

As of September 2026, Skagit Council on Aging operates the Burlington and Mount Vernon senior centers, the City of Sedro-Woolley operates the Sedro-Woolley senior center, and the City of Anacortes operates the Anacortes senior center. Skagit Council on Aging also started managing the senior meals program, including hot congregate meals in the senior centers and Meals on Wheels deliveries, countywide on July 1, 2026. The Northwest Regional Council is the managing agency for the senior meals contract in Skagit County.

There are no grant funds or revenue sources specifically to support senior services, including operation of the senior centers and associated programming. Skagit County uses General Fund dollars, which are sourced from property taxes, to support senior services. The local cities and senior center advisory boards also monetarily support the senior centers.

Skagit County Partnering with Housing Authority of Skagit County to Build Affordable Housing for Seniors

Skagit County has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Housing Authority of Skagit County (HASC) to build affordable housing units for seniors, along with a resident clubhouse that provides space for resident support services, at the current site of the Mount Vernon Senior Center on Cleveland Avenue.

This past winter, Skagit County received a $1.55M allocation from the Washington State legislature, through a Department of Commerce program for multifamily housing, to fund the feasibility and design process of a combined affordable housing and community center facility at the Cleveland Avenue property. This effort will increase the county’s access to needed housing units and help achieve one of the County’s strategic plan goals to increase housing availability and affordability for people who work and live in Skagit County.

As planning moves forward, Skagit County, the City of Mount Vernon, and Skagit Council on Aging (SCOA) are working together to identify a new location for the Mount Vernon senior center. The current county-owned facility will remain open and continue operating under SCOA through the end of 2027, with the goal of opening a relocated senior center in January 2028.

Planning for Affordable Housing

In 2022, Skagit County hired Makers Architecture and Urban Design (MAKERS) to study all county-owned properties to evaluate if any properties would be suitable for a future affordable housing development project. This process was initiated as part of the development of our Skagit County Strategic Plan, particularly Key Focus Area 4, which addresses the wellbeing of community members by increasing affordable housing, living wage jobs, improving public safety, and increasing safe and equitable access to trails and recreation.

The County Commissioners wished to prioritize affordable housing development and were looking to identify ways to encourage new affordable housing units. Repurposing a county-owned property for affordable housing, rather than purchasing real estate, saves on the cost of acquiring property for new units.

The 2022 MAKERS study identified the Mount Vernon senior center location as an ideal opportunity for new affordable housing, given the city zoning permitting multifamily housing and proximity to transit, jobs, and the downtown neighborhood. With the $1.55M in funding provided by the state legislature in 2026, Skagit County began the feasibility process for an affordable housing facility with a combined senior center facility at the Cleveland Street location. HASC quickly stepped up to offer its’ support and partnership with this project and agreed to be the lead developer of the new facility.

After additional discussions and study of the property, it was decided that a senior center at this location along with the affordable housing facility would not be practical given the lack of parking and space for the senior center users as well as the permanent residents. The property is in the flood zone, which limits the first floor of the facility from residential or other public uses. The first floor could be developed for parking to accommodate the permanent residents. Given that city zoning limits the building to four stories, with the first floor as a parking lot, adding additional levels for a senior center would significantly limit housing units. HASC and Skagit County are working to include a smaller community center space for the permanent residents of the new facility.

Planning for a New Mount Vernon Senior Center Location

As a result of the feasibility study, Skagit County, the City of Mount Vernon, and Skagit Council on Aging (SCOA) have agreed to find a new location for the Mount Vernon senior center. The County-owned facility will remain open for SCOA to operate the senior center through the end of 2027, with the goal of having the relocated senior facility open in January of 2028. Skagit County, the City of Mount Vernon, and SCOA will be continuing to evaluate and discuss relocation options in Mount Vernon. We will share more information about the relocation effort as it becomes available. All three entities will offer public participation opportunities in 2027 to ensure the senior community is involved in the selection of the new location.

What’s Next

HASC and Skagit County are continuing to work towards a design of the new affordable housing facility. Skagit County plans to request additional funds from the state in 2027 to help fund the construction phase. Questions about the memorandum of understanding agreement between Skagit County and HASC, as well as about the Mount Vernon senior center, can be emailed to commissioners@skagitcountywa.gov.

Previous Actions

Mount Vernon Seniors Townhall April 27, 2026

Skagit County and the City of Mount Vernon hosted a townhall panel discussion at the Mount Vernon Library Commons on April 27, 2026. The panel featured a discussion on the senior nutrition program with Elena Roppel, President of Skagit Council on Aging, and Amanda McDade, Executive Director of Northwest Regional Council, and a discussion on the future of the Mount Vernon senior center programming and facility with County Commissioner Ron Wesen, Mount Vernon Mayor Peter Donovan, and Mount Vernon City Councilmember Mary Hudson. The townhall was recorded and can be watched by visiting the City of Mount Vernon’s YouTube channel here: Senior Services Townhall - April 27, 2026

A few important points were made by our panelists during the townhall:

The Mount Vernon Senior Center is not closing or relocating in the near future. We understand the center has deficiencies; however, the City and the County are united in supporting the center’s continued use and collaborating on a future senior center project when the funding is available. The City and the County have explored temporary relocation options, if necessary. While the community center in Concrete was being renovated, the center temporarily relocated to a local church to provide meals and services. We will explore options like this, if a repair was necessary for the Mount Vernon center that rendered the facility unusable for an extended period of time.

Senior Center staffing and operations are funded and will continue to be funded by the City of Mount Vernon and Skagit County. There are currently no plans to eliminate our support for Mount Vernon Senior Services.

We are not in crisis-mode for the Mount Vernon Senior Center. We are in the planning stage to develop a long-term solution for the senior center. Skagit County and the City of Mount Vernon do not have adequate resources available to fund the construction of a new standalone senior center. To find a long-term solution, we will need to be creative and work together with local entities to develop a project that will be financially sustainable.

There are no funding sources for the construction and operation of senior centers, but there are funding opportunities for affordable housing projects. This is how Skagit County was successful in developing an initial proposal for the state legislature to allocate $1.5M for the initial planning and design of a combined affordable housing and senior center project. As this project moves forward, we will share updates with the community and ensure feedback is solicited and incorporated in future plans.

Senior Nutrition Program Transition

On September 30, 2025, the Skagit County Commissioners made the difficult decision to request Northwest Regional Council find a new provider for the senior nutrition program starting July 1, 2026. Skagit County was facing a very challenging budget situation for 2026 and the demand for senior services and the cost for staffing and food in our area was continuing to outpace the funding we receive from NWRC and fundraising opportunities each year. NWRC will lead the effort to solicit proposals from the community to operate the senior nutrition program contract starting July 1, 2026.

In addition to the rising costs for operating senior services and the senior nutrition program, the Mount Vernon Senior Center facility is in dire need of repair or replacement; however, the repair and replacement cost estimates have been prohibitive. Senior services and the senior nutrition program are estimated to cost the County over $1.7M from the general fund in 2026 alone, and if all current county operations and programs were maintained at 2025 levels, Skagit County was facing approximately a $19M deficit in the general fund.

As a result of the budget deficit in the general fund, the County Commissioners needed to make reductions in our expenses to pass a balanced budget. Those reductions included eliminating 51 staff positions, transitioning the senior meal program to a nonprofit provider, continuing the current hiring freeze, consolidating county resources between departments, and looking at more efficient workflows and organizational structures to ensure mandated county services continue as required. The Commissioners will need to eliminate additional staff positions and other non-essential services in 2026 to balance the 2027 budget.

APRIL 2026 UPDATE

On April 8, 2026, the Skagit Council on Aging board voted to take over the Skagit County senior nutrition program contract with Northwest Regional Council. Skagit Council on Aging will become the new provider starting July 1, 2026, and they have stated they will keep the program consistent and seniors will continue to receive the same services they receive now throughout the rest of 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are you shutting down the senior centers?

No, we are not shutting down the senior centers.

The Skagit County Commissioners have not considered closing down the senior centers or reducing senior programs. The Commissioners feel strongly senior centers should remain open, and are willing to partner to continue current services.

The centers provide a sense of belonging to our seniors and offer opportunities to share meals, participate in exercise classes, and engage in many other activities. Without the County’s support of senior centers, it is likely these opportunities would not be offered in our community.

Why has the Mount Vernon Senior Center not been repaired?

The Mount Vernon Senior Center is located in a 100-year-old schoolhouse that has been serving as the senior facility since 1973. Unfortunately, the building is no longer suitable for its purpose. It was never designed with the needs of older adults in mind, and decades of wear have left the building with significant structural and operational deficiencies.

Even if extensive and costly renovations were pursued, the building would still fall short of providing the space necessary to serve Mount Vernon’s growing senior population. Program participants and staff have consistently voiced concerns that the Center has already outgrown its capacity, and the status quo is simply not sustainable.

Why hasn’t the Mount Vernon Senior Center moved to the Library Commons?

Skagit County and the City of Mount Vernon worked extensively on what a partnership between the MV Senior Center and the Commons would look like as the City built the new space. The library includes a commercial kitchen and community meeting room space which could have been a fit for the needs of local seniors.

The City was hoping for an integrated library and community center model which would have reduced dedicated programming exclusively for seniors. Skagit County was concerned with the proposed service model, and the impacts it may have on the growing senior population.

Additionally, there were potential issues with Meals on Wheels driver access to the library kitchen and the City requested a partnership of a $6M capital investment. The capital investment would have been used to increase the footprint of the library to accommodate the breadth of senior center programming requested by the center clientele.

Skagit County has heard from the senior center community that they wish to keep the existing senior programming as much as possible in a new space, so ultimately it was decided the vision of relocating to the library was not aligned with what the senior center community needs.

Why can’t the County use other funds to continue funding the senior nutrition program?

The only source of funding that can be used to pay for the senior nutrition program is the general fund. Approximately 75% of the general fund is allocated to public safety, including the courts and law enforcement. The other 25% must fund all county operations not covered by other sources of revenue or grants.

Nearly all county services, including roads, behavioral health, veteran services, and homelessness support, are funded with dollars that are restricted for their intended use so they cannot be reallocated to senior services.

Can we fundraise more to keep the program at current levels?

Fundraising has been a consistent source of support for the program over the last five decades; however, our fundraising efforts are not enough to keep up with the rising demand for seniors meals. We believe a nonprofit is better suited to effectively fundraise.

Why is the program so expensive now?

The costs of food, supplies, and salaries increase each year. Additionally, there is a growing number of seniors in need of meal deliveries of congregate meals. In 2024, we served over 5,600 seniors compared to less than 4,000 seniors in 2016.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that by 2030, 30% of the total population in Mount Vernon will be aged 65 and older. This aging population indicates that the demand for senior services and meals will continue to grow.

Press Releases

September 30, 2025
Skagit County to Request Transition of Senior Nutrition Program to Alternate Provider
Commissioners directed Public Health to provide notice to the Northwest Regional Council (NWRC) that a new provider will be needed for the senior nutrition program starting July 1, 2026

September 25, 2025
Skagit County Commissioners Schedule Public Meeting to Discuss Senior Nutrition Contract
County Commissioners requested Public Health staff to present options for reducing the budget, including evaluation of either reducing hot congregate meals and hot meal deliveries or transitioning the senior nutrition program contract to a nonprofit.

September 22, 2025
Skagit County Commissioners to Host Annual Budget Meetings
Commissioners will host a series of budget work sessions over the next two weeks with each department and elected office to discuss 2026 budget requests

September 9, 2025
Skagit County Commissioners to Host Senior Services Budget Meetings
The Skagit Board of County Commissioners hosted a proclamation today to recognize September as National Senior Center Month.

September 9, 2025
Skagit County Commissioners Remain Committed to Senior Services and Meals on Wheels Programs
The ability to share hot meals, both via delivery and congregate meals in our centers, gives seniors with limited ability to cook or leave their house unassisted a sense of connection and safety.