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Avon council approves relocating Social Services to Senior Center; recommends $100,000 grant appropriation
Summary
Council approved moving the Department of Social Services into the Avon Senior Center, a project estimated at $416,710 and funded with a $100,000 State legislative grant plus existing CIP funds; Council recommended a Board of Finance appropriation to accept the grant.
The Avon Town Council voted 3-2 on Jan. 8 to relocate the Department of Social Services to the Senior Center and approved the proposed project scope and funding recommendation.
Town leaders said consolidating Social Services and Senior Center operations would improve client accessibility and confidentiality after the promotion of Jennifer Bennett to Director of Social & Senior Services. Assistant staff and design materials proposed constructing a new 760-square-foot craft room and converting the existing craft room into two offices and a conference room; the full two-phase project estimate presented was $416,710.
The funding plan cited $532,000 currently available to apply to the Senior Center: a $100,000 State legislative grant (legislative earmark that requires application and must be spent by June 30, 2026), $250,000 already appropriated in the town's CIP (about $18,000 of which has been spent on design), and other available funds. The Assistant Town Manager told Council the $100,000 grant must be encumbered by June 30 unless the Council chooses a different immediate use.
Council member Barthel and Council member Bratton voiced concern about using previously approved taxpayer funds for a changed scope; Barthel suggested using the $100,000 grant for the office conversion and preserving previously approved CIP work. Chairman Dan Polhamus and Council member Weber supported proceeding with the consolidated plan, noting the project could be accomplished without eliminating a craft room through phased work if funding aligns.
On a motion by Chairman Polhamus, seconded by Council member Weber, Council approved the proposed scope of work to relocate Social Services to the Senior Center (Polhamus, Weber and Ausiello in favor; Barthel and Bratton opposed). The Council then recommended that the Board of Finance amend the FY 25/26 budget to accept the $100,000 Legislative Grant-In-Aid and appropriate it to Senior Center improvements; that recommendation passed on the same 3-2 vote.
Town staff said Human Resources would remain in Building #5 and that the project would be incorporated into the capital budget form for FY 26/27. The Council recorded an estimated $116,000 difference between available funds and the project cost that could be used for other Senior Center improvements.
