Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Senior Center Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge Marlborough to boost senior center staffing and pay as programming expands
Summary
At a March 4 budget workshop, residents and board members called for adding an assistant and raising the Senior Center Director’s pay to sustain expanded programming; the Board of Finance discussed budget implications but took no vote.
Several Marlborough residents used the Board of Finance’s March 4 workshop to press for increased funding for the Senior Center.
Betty O’Brien (176 N. Main Street) told the board she supports adding an assistant and raising the Senior Center Director’s salary, saying seniors represent the town’s fastest‑growing population and that programming has expanded under the new Director. Joan O’Connell (4 Hall Trail) echoed that support, and Colleen Kaplan (17 Colman Lane) later praised the new Director’s work and said the staffing changes are justified.
Why it matters: senior services are a recurring budget pressure in many towns; adding staff and raising pay would increase recurring personnel costs and must be weighed against other priorities in the CIP and operating budget.
Board members and the Town Manager discussed the proposal in the context of personnel reallocation and overall budget presentation. The Board of Selectmen has indicated the Director needs a substantial increase and an assistant so the Director can leave the Center to perform other town duties. The workshop did not produce a formal vote on the request; finance board members asked for clearer budget detail to assess costs.
The public comment period also included a reminder from resident Hal Whitney that BOF members should attend other board meetings to stay informed about related discussions appearing before the Board of Selectmen.
Next steps: the staff will provide more detailed budget information and the BOF will consider the Senior Center requests alongside other capital and operating priorities as the audit and mill‑rate decisions are finalized.
