Why Is Mayor Sisitsky Hiding Basic Information On The Council On Aging As He Tries To Fire All Its Members

In the last City Council meeting on November 5, 2026, City Councilor Mary Kate Feeney asked the Mayor a simple question:

"I just have a question. A lot of people have been asking me this, and I don't have the answer. How many people have applied to the Council on Aging since May 30th?"

The Mayor replied:

"I don't know. I don't have that number."

Here are some facts:

1. The Citizen Participation Officer (CPO) handles applications for boards like the Council On Aging, so she knows all of that information, which she transmits to the Mayor.
2. District 3 City Councilor Mary Kate Feeney asked the CPO this same question in a meeting of the City Council Rules, Ordinances & Ethics Subcommittee on 10/26/26, and after a bit of pressure the CPO 'guessed' it was five.
3. On October 13, 2026, a public records request (2026-3382) was filed for the applications to serve on the COA and city responses from 1/1/2025 - 10/13/26. On October 28, the city requested an extension of 15 business days, without the detailed reason required by state law. That unlawful response has now been appealed to the state.

It is quite clear that getting this information is like pulling teeth, which raises the following questions:

1. Why is the Mayor trying to hide the simple facts behind why the COA membership has declined from 11 to 6 over the last year?
2. Why has he filled no vacancies, so now the COA can hardly function for quorum reasons?
3. Why does he want to terminate all current members on 12/31/26?
4. Why is the COA being singled out and damaged in this manner?
5. Is this political payback for the COA opposing the senior services/library services merger?

We are living in a time where every day the truth is being mangled or hidden by the US government on major issues.

Maybe it seems like small potatoes when our Mayor appears to be hiding the truth on a simple matter, as he also appears to be exacting political revenge on the COA.

But, if this keeps up, who can trust anything the Mayor says?

And who would want to serve on the COA, or any other board for that matter, if board members and applicants are treated so poorly?

Truth in government matters on big issues and small issues.

Charlie - it's time to tell the community what is going on!!!!

For full background on this giant fiasco, see:

Framingham Mayor Aims To Assert Control Over Senior Services By Firing the Entire Council On Aging (COA)