Director Dallas told the Gardner City Council that the Gardner Senior Center's operating budget before the council is largely level with last year but faces specific cost pressures and staffing needs.

"My energy and utilities this year has already exceeded $19,000," Director Dallas said, and added that the mayor's office and city auditor had helped secure electric credits that should reduce FY 2026 spending. Dallas also told the council the center had "maxed out our overtime again this year" and expects similar pressures into FY 2024.

The discussion centered on three budget line items Dallas highlighted as concerns: IT costs ("about 3,300"), the COA meal site manager contract (stated as "my annual contract is $13.05"), and continuing salary adjustments for staff. Dallas said the senior center director salary had been moved toward the recommendations from a salary study but remained below the department request.

Why it matters: the center serves residents age 50 and older (the state formula grant counts visits from people 60 and older), and Dallas said accurate check-in counts affect the city's state grant, which he put at "around $60,000" a year. Those grant dollars, along with gift and revolving accounts, support programming for a substantial local senior population.

Councilors and community leaders also discussed services and unmet needs. Dallas described increasing case-management work at the center'from housing and medication assistance to resolving Social Security garnishment disputes'and called a full-time, dedicated social-worker position a "wish list" item the center had discussed with the Board of Health. Dallas said city departments have collaborated on individual cases but that the city lacks structured, dedicated case management or emergency housing to bring someone in crisis.

Several speakers thanked the director and staff. Ron Darmetka, identified in the meeting as chairman of the Council on Aging Board, and other board members were praised for active involvement in programming and finances. Councilor Cass and others called attention to the volume of volunteer support: Dallas said the center records about 960 volunteers contributing about 16,000 unpaid hours.

On partnerships and services, Dallas said the city has maintained a tax-preparation program for seniors after a scheduling lapse several years ago. The program provides free tax returns for about 25 seniors; Dallas estimated the value of that service at between $15,000 and $20,000 and said the city spent about $15,000 in the year the volunteer program could not be set up.

Dallas also reported discussions with outside providers about placing mental-health services at the center. He said high-level contacts at CSO, Community Health Connections and Hayward Hospital have pledged to help secure a community-outreach grant to station a mental-health worker at the senior center.

Dallas described the center's internal account balances and spending rules: a gift account (roughly $92,000 as reported in the presentation) used at the Council on Aging's discretion; a revolving account (about $45,600) used at the director's discretion for programs and services; the operating account under current council consideration; and formula grants from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that are counted separately.

Discussion did not record a formal vote on the center's operating budget during the excerpted transcript. The meeting closed with a motion to adjourn that passed by voice vote; mover and seconder were not specified in the record provided.

"If somebody comes to the center because they need connection, we don't check their license for their age," Dallas said, describing the center's inclusive approach to participation.

For next steps, Dallas said staff will continue to pursue grant-funded mental-health placement and work with the mayor's office and auditor to manage utility and IT costs; no formal council action on the operating budget was recorded in the provided transcript.