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Seniors and advisory board urge Tompkins County to keep Office for the Aging downtown
Summary
Multiple COFA advisory board members and senior residents told the legislature that relocating the Office for the Aging to Dutch Mill Road in Lansing would cut off access for thousands of seniors who rely on downtown walkable services and public transit; legislators said they will reopen the decision for further review.
Dozens of seniors and COFA (County Office for the Aging) advisory board members addressed the Tompkins County Legislature during public comment to oppose a proposed move of the Office for the Aging from Downtown Ithaca to Dutch Mill Road in Lansing.
Joanne Zvicki, who said she serves on the COFA advisory board and is 79, told the legislature: “I urge the county legislature to reverse its decision to move COFA office from the city of Ithaca to the Dutch Mill Road in Lansing.” She described transport barriers — few TCAT trips, hilly winter routes and a 2‑mile walk from the nearest Lansing stop — and said many seniors cannot drive.
Other commenters from COFA’s advisory board and senior‑serving organizations echoed those concerns, noting the downtown location’s proximity to complementary services (DSS, Lifelong, Salvation Army) and the convenience for roughly 7,000 city seniors who rely on walkable access to appointments and public events organized by COFA.
Several legislators responded that the matter appeared to have been handled too quickly and that they wanted to reopen conversation with COFA staff and the advisory board. Chair and other members asked administration and staff to assemble usage and visitor‑pattern data and to explore alternate temporary sites so that COFA’s accessibility is preserved during county facilities transition.
No formal vote was taken on the relocation at the Oct. 7 meeting; legislators requested more outreach, impact data and alternatives before any final action.
