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Richfield council debates renaming Senior Center to 'Jan Weber Social Center' amid member input
Summary
Council discussed renaming the Senior Center to the 'Jan Weber Social Center.' Senior Center Director Kathy Fedrowich said members favored 'Social Center' as "a place of activity and camaraderie," while some councilmembers urged member voting and village‑resident participation; no final decision was made.
Richfield council members debated whether to rename the Senior Center the "Jan Weber Social Center" during the April 7 meeting.
Senior Center Director Kathy Fedrowich told council members that center participants generally support the "Social Center" name because "it's a place of activity and camaraderie." Mayor Wheeler reported that 68 of 70 people he asked were in favor of "Social Center," and supporters said the label better reflects a broader, active audience of residents in the 55–75 age range.
Some councilmembers—most notably Councilmember Kruszynski—preferred retaining the explicit "Senior Center" wording or using a blended alternative such as "Senior Activity Center," citing concerns that the new name might not clearly identify services for seniors. Councilmembers and staff discussed whether the voting membership for any naming decision should be restricted to village residents or open to all center participants; several speakers recommended that existing senior members be permitted to vote on the name.
No final action was taken at the meeting; council members said they will continue discussions and consider asking members to vote on the name in a future meeting or through an internal poll.
