Senior Center Study Committee FY - 03

To the Board of Selectmen,

            Our Senior Study Committee has had a very productive year.  We meet monthly or bi-monthly, according to need.  We have held 46 meetings since were appointed, May 2001.  Our main goal this year was to review the needs of our senior community both present and in the future, as well as how the Pleasantview Center meets these needs and will in the future.

            At Town Meeting, $12,000 was appropriated to do a Feasibility study of the senior center.  J.D. Catlin Architectural Firm has completed the study and presented us with five different plans for renovations on the present site.  After review of the renovation plans, ranging from 2.5 million to 5.5 million, along with the human cost of closing the center for 1.5 to 2 years, loss of Federal grants and finding a place to relocate with rental and moving costs, it did not seem Senior Friendly.

            We, the Committee, preceded to investigate the conditions of our building and the existing site, with assistance from some of our local people who work in our Town Departments to explore the Pleasantview site, investigate building circulation, space efficiency, develop schematic design and establish an estimated cost for renovations.

            Upon completion of all of the above, our mission was to conclude what would be in the best interest of the seniors of East Longmeadow.  We voted to ask for a warrant article at Town Meeting to request $68,000 for preliminary schematics of a new building, on a new site.  (We have been given estimates of $5 million).  At present there are more than three thousand seniors residing in town and this figure will close to double in the next ten years.  We have to remember it is "our today and your tomorrow."

            Respectfully Submitted,

Senior Center Study Committee

Donald Thompson, Jr. Chairman                                   Bob Hildreth, Vice Chairman

Richard Clark, Secretary                                              Jennie Wood, Treasurer

Muriel Andwood, Publicity/Program                             Walt LaBroad, Building

Leon Osborne, Technical Presentation              Carol Johnston, Building/ Finance

John Coughlan, Operations/Staffing                               Betty St. Peter, Program

William Powell, Finance                                                Carl Ohlin, Finance

Michael Pryzbylowicz, Planning                         Rosalind Clark, COA, ex-officio

Board of Selectmen: Kim Wiezbicki, Gary DeLisle, and John Claffey