Director reports record check-ins, stable formula grant and outreach after heat events

The COA director reported a busy June driven by new Wednesday evening hours and intergenerational programming, saying the center logged roughly 3,600 check-ins in June with 582 unduplicated visitors.

"We ended the year having spent 99.4% of our budget," the director said, and noted that the center relies heavily on grants, gifts and fees rather than a large town appropriation. The director said Governor Healy's proposed FY27 budget approved level funding of the formula grant at $16 per elder, a funding stream that supports fitness classes.

The director also described heat-related outreach: when the library served as a designated cooling center on July 3, COA staff and CERT volunteers (including Alex McCurdy) checked on at-risk residents by phone and in person; only a few residents used the site but staff judged the outreach beneficial. On the senior tax work-off and veterans programs, the director said there are 114 senior workers and 12 veterans placements, representing about 96 households and some open slots; participants receive a tax credit (about $2,000 for seniors) and may enroll in both programs but must track separate hours.

Staff also described registration operations: sign-up day has created long lines and staff are testing an online guardrail that would limit online registrations to 50% of slots so people without internet can still access sign-ups.

Board members discussed next steps for outreach and communications; staff said a strategic-planning kickoff will include marketing to make services more visible to residents.