Council on Aging Director Tina Gorman (WNG File Photo)
WESTFIELD – At the start of Wednesday’s budget review, Council on Aging Director Christine “Tina” Gorman passed around handouts on the FY19 budget of $430,907 to Councilors Andrew K. Surprise, chairman pro temp and Matthew Emmershy of the Finance sub-committee, and to the other councilors in attendance.
“The biggest item on here is that we really need a full-time maintenance person,” Gorman said, adding that they are operating the building with a part-time custodian. “A lot of the setting up and cleaning is falling to me and the program director,” she said.
Gorman said when they opened the center three years ago, they asked for a full-time kitchen manager and full-time custodian. Then Mayor Daniel Knapik asked her to choose one. “We went with the kitchen manager and a 19-hour custodian,” she said, explaining that she thought the food program was too important.
Gorman said they haven’t yet brought in a full-time custodian. Last year, she said, she level funded her budget with the contract raises, and still gave $9,490 back to the city.
“I’ve got to tell you, I’m pretty tired,” Gorman said.
The Senior Center averages 225 older adults a day, an overall average for the last fiscal year. Gorman said it’s not just one person coming in for one program, but coming in doing multiple things, such as lunch, art, physical fitness. She said the total event sign-up is over 61,000. “There’s a lot of upkeep,” she said.
Surprise asked if there was a way to bring in revenue by renting out the facility. Gorman responded that she was asked that by Councilor David Flaherty last year, and spent time speaking with Councils on Aging in other communities. “Every other single COA said they lost money by renting out, due to damage and cleanup,” she said.
Gorman said if somebody has to coordinate, organize events and be there, it takes them away from doing their job. She said the Council on Aging Board recommended against it.
Surprise asked whether senior volunteers working for real estate tax work offs could staff the Center.
Front of the Westfield Senior Center
Gorman said most of the seniors in the tax work off program are working at VIPS (Volunteers in Public Schools), or at City Hall. She said in order to have a volunteer; a staff person has to be there. “We have a lot of emergencies – we call 911 a lot,” Gorman said, adding that senior volunteers wouldn’t be able to staff evening hours.
“I absolutely want you to look into it further. If you could schedule a meeting with us sometime,” Surprise said.
Gorman said the board voted that any events during the evening or on weekends would have to be a benefit to older adults. Then it’s up to the discretion of the staff to be there. ” I feel we’ve been very accommodating to the community,” Gorman said.
“There appears to be a legal question. The funding obtained by the state can only be used by seniors,” said At-large Councilor Cindy C. Harris.
Gorman said she just had this discussion with someone else, whose town named it a community center so it could be used in different ways. “But we did name ours a senior center. That is a whole different ballgame. Ours was built and designed specifically for older adults,” Gorman said.
“I would respectfully request that any meetings with the COA include the liaison as well,” said Ward 2 Councilor Ralph J. Figy, who serves as the Council on Aging liaison.
“We’ll go through you to schedule it,” Surprise said to Figy.
