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Longtime resident tells council seniors feel "lied to" about new senior-center arrangements
Summary
At the public-comment period, resident Beverly Wise said seniors were not adequately informed about sharing and access to the new building, complained of unsafe chairs and denied gym access, and urged council to improve communication and oversight.
During the citizen-input portion of the meeting, longtime resident Beverly Wise delivered a sustained and emotional public comment raising concerns about senior-center operations and building use.
“I feel we’re lied to,” Wise told the council, saying she has received multiple phone calls from other adults reporting personnel changes and that seniors were surprised by moves into a new building without notice. She said the senior-center membership has been hurt by the changes and described items she called safety problems — including chairs that have caused serious injuries and a gym the seniors were told was unsafe but that children and camps are still using.
Wise urged better communication and follow-through from Parks & Recreation staff and said members who had expected certain spaces for senior activities had been disappointed. She asked the council to "tell us when it’s gonna happen" and to "listen to us."
Mayor and council thanked the speaker for her comments; the item was recorded as public comment and no formal action was taken that evening. Council members later discussed bringing staff reports and presentations back to a work session and requested staff follow-up where needed.
