Town Administrator seeks new management for Senior Center
Published on December 5th, 2007
STONEHAM, MA - Town Administrator David Ragucci recently proposed that Stoneham turn over the management of the Senior Center to a non-profit organization after Council on Aging Director Jane Lavender announced plans to retire.
According to Ragucci, who learned of Lavender's intent to retire this spring some weeks ago, he believed the town could save a significant portion of the $160,000 in municipal funding slated to the Senior Center each year.
"Our Senior Director Jane is looking to retire," the Town Administrator explained. "This is an opportunity for the town to take a look at your Senior Center programs and services and ways to improve that."
"I'd like to look at attracting a non-profit to run our Senior Center, with the understanding that existing programs and services, as well as infrastructure, must be maintained," Ragucci added.
According to Lavender, she plans to stay in her current position until sometime this spring, so that she can oversee a smooth transition as the town explores its options and struggles with another looming budget crisis in FY'09.
In mid-November, town officials estimated that Stoneham will face at least a $680,000 deficit next year, if a level-funded budget was presented to the townspeople for approval. However, those rough predictions are based upon a continuation of a trash fee for FY'09.
Without the refuse charges, the town will likely have to grapple with a $2 million financial hole.
Although town officials have backed away from large-scale reductions to the Senior Center's operations - a number of years ago many Selectmen balked at a suggestion that the facility be shuttered - reductions to transportation services and maintenance and cleaning budgets have been instituted over the past few years.
As a result, Lavender and Council on Aging members have resourcefully relied on outside revenue sources, such as grants and rental charges, to supplement the Senior Center's operating budget.
Based upon Ragucci's proposal, which would mirror the operation of Winchester's Senior Center, the Council on Aging's board of directors would seek proposals from non-profit organizations.
The non-profit organization, though responsible for the day-to-day operations of the facility and programs, would still be overseen by the Council on Aging, which would set policy for the Senior Center.
According to Howard Porter, the Chairman for the Council on Aging, he does have some reservations about how the transition would work.
In particular, Porter worries about whether the current level of service could be maintained at the Senior Center under a non-profit organization.
At the same time, the Council on Aging Chair acknowledges that other avenues need to be explored, especially with the pending departure of a hands-on and resourceful manager like Lavender.
"I don't know how it would work," Porter said. "But I'll tell you right now, it will never work as well as it is right now. It will be hard to find a director that does the work that she does."
"Our budget is so low, who in the right mind would take over? What person in their right mind would come in and do that knowing about the problems," the Council on Aging Chair later commented.
According to Selectmen Paul Rotondi and John DePinto, they feel that Ragucci's proposal has merit and warrants further exploration.
However, both Selectmen stressed that no major changes would be instituted at the Senior Center until town officials are absolutely assured that no programs or services would be hurt by the management changeover.
Rotondi, pointing out that Stoneham is limited in how it can invest funding and in the types of private grants and government funds it can apply for, believes that a non-profit may actually be able to expand on the services at the Senior Center, if the changeover occurs correctly.
"The intent is that the town will save money. We'll reduce our liabilities and the Senior Center will get all the services," said Rotondi. "In theory, they [a non-profit] would raise money through donations and other revenues. It should be a win-win for all."
"I would think that when it first starts out, before this non-profit gets up and running as it should, the town will have to kick in some money," the Selectmen added. "But we're going to go very slow with everything and make sure it works right, because this could be a model for the town to save money."
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