Northfield Council on Aging director to retire; board begins search for successor

Colleen Letourneau, director of the Northfield Senior Center, announced her retirement in a letter read to the board and town officials, saying the job has been “the opportunity of a lifetime.” Her last day will be June 25, 2026.

The Northfield Council on Aging reviewed and revised the Senior Center Director job posting at its Feb. 17 meeting, instructing Chair Meg Livingstone to deliver the updated description to town secretary Sandra Wood for posting by March 1. The board agreed to remove an item about “shaping the future of elder affairs,” strengthen language that the director must make appropriate referrals and show “respect for” the aging process, and explicitly note that the director is the mandated elder-at-risk reporter.

The board named a prescreening committee that will review initial applications: Chris Harris, Deb Lanou, Kathy Eaton, Haivey Noel and Jan Herlihy. The council said three or more people will serve on screening panels and that the full board will interview candidates invited for in-person interviews.

Letourneau also asked for help covering activities and paperwork during the first week of March while staff member Deb Ryder is on vacation; she said she is completing the Fred Wells grant application (due mid-March), the COA section of the annual town report, an RSVP program survey request, and finalizing the LifePath Age and Dementia Friendly Grant report.

The board did not vote on a hiring timeline beyond the March 1 posting target; next steps include receipt of applications and convening the named prescreening committee.