Council on Aging hears complaints that town employees take free senior meals while seniors pay

Board members raised concerns at the April 3 Town of Blackstone Council on Aging meeting about town employees taking senior center lunches without paying while seniors are charged for the same meals.

During the meeting a board member said many seniors are on fixed incomes and reported "a lot of griping" because town employees can take lunches for free while program participants must pay. The director responded that this was the first time the director had heard the complaint and suggested possible explanations, including that leftover meals that cannot be stored are sometimes distributed; the director said, "we can always offer leftover Wednesdays" and asked the board member to meet after the session to share details so staff can investigate and "get it fixed." The director also said, "We cannot let any food leave the building," referencing food-safety constraints.

No formal policy change was voted on at the meeting. The concern was recorded as a board-level complaint and staff were directed to investigate and report back. The transcript does not specify whether the employees taking lunches are town employees on duty, volunteers, or other persons, nor does it state the frequency or number of incidents.

Board members emphasized seniors' limited incomes and asked staff to clarify who is eligible for free meals and to prevent practices that cause confusion among program participants.