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Franklin seniors urge city to find permanent senior center after temporary move
Summary
Members of the Franklin Senior Center told the City Commission they were moved into a temporary, undersized building and asked the city and housing authority to locate a permanent, accessible facility; commissioners said staff would follow up.
A group representing the Franklin Senior Center urged the Franklin City Commission on Thursday to help find a new, permanent facility after the center was relocated to temporary office space that members say is too small and not accessible.
The senior center representative said the temporary site limits activities that keep older residents active. "We can't do exercise ... these are the things that keeps our seniors and our aging population moving," the speaker said during public comments. Mary McGee, who identified herself as a Franklin resident and president of a senior members group, said the center also supplies home-delivered holiday crafts and daily wellbeing checks for homebound people.
The complaints focused on cramped space, storage kept off-site in donated containers and the loss of a kitchen and exercise area. McGee said the current location lacks handrails and other accessibility features and warned that utility costs that were previously paid by the housing authority may now be charged to the group: "If that has to come out of the members' pockets, it'll close down." She added, "We are in desperate need of a real Franklin Senior Center, and I think it is pitiful that we don't have one."
Commissioners and staff responded that they had not fully understood how the center's operations had been affected after the move and that the city manager and staff would work with the housing authority and senior-center leaders to identify options. The mayor said city staff would follow up with the housing authority and that he would be in touch with the senior-center representatives.
The commission did not take formal action during the meeting but directed staff to investigate space options and report back. Commissioners suggested exploring existing city programming and facilities that could be coordinated with the senior center while a long-term solution is sought.
The exchange took place during the public-comment period; the commission later moved on to its regular agenda.
